Surviving Being Broken
by D.notebook
Summary: Dr. Elizabeth Bennett 4th year resident at Mary Parker is against the new attending neuro-suregon before even meeting him. Grey's Anatomy inspired not ER sorry
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I was watching Grey's Anatomy reruns... need I say more? I was tired when I uploaded and put ER before... But I was watching G.A sorry :)

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"Welcome to your first day of hell" Dr. Charlotte Lucas announced to the fours interns assigned to her. It was her fourth year of residency at Mary Parker Hospital meaning she was in charge of the new blood. "Listen carefully because if you ask me about anything I've already said, you'll wish you were mute".

Charlotte walked her interns through the halls and pointed out the different stations. "Here is where you'll do charting, as interns you aren't going to be charting on the floor but in these rooms. It keeps the floor organized and you pretty much in check". Charlotte caught a glimpse of Elizabeth walking with her interns across the room and smiled. "Listen up, your see that woman over there" she pointed at Elizabeth, "That's the Cutter, I suggest you stay out of her way or you'll learn firsthand why". Charlotte loved scaring the interns and there really wasn't any better way to do that then warn them about Elizabeth.

"I heard that's why her she changed specialties from neuro to cardiac… she has no heart and loves cutting up other peoples" one of the small female interns said.

"Care to find out?" Charlotte asked irritated that the little intern opened her mouth. Seeing the intern shake her head in fear Charlotte was satisfied and move to the nurse's station. "Don't let me catch you in here making out with the nurses or I'll make sure you're doing post-op notes for a month".

"But feel free to make out with me" Dr. Bill Collins the attending general surgeon interrupted winking at Charlotte.

"God I just threw up in my mouth" Charlotte gagged and walked away from the gross man.

"Dr. Bennett" Charlotte caught up to Elizabeth and her group of interns, "A minute please?"

Elizabeth stopped and turned towards her best friend. One of Charlotte's interns was staring at her in a disgusting creeper kind of way so Elizabeth addressed him. "You…" She pointed at the intern, "you see this?" Elizabeth asked using her fingers to draw a one foot square perimeter around herself, "It's my personal space and you're in it… move now". Elizabeth hated dealing with interns, they were over confident and suck ups. The four interns assigned to her stood a few feet away from her already informed of her personal space.

"I was just wondering if you would be so kind as to explain to the interns our views on inter-resident mingling" Charlotte knew this would piss Elizabeth off and that was exactly why she asked.

"Keep your damn legs closed unless you want an STD" Elizabeth hated hearing about residents sleeping with each other. The sexual spider web at Mary was so complex it would be easier to remove a tumor than try and figure out who has slept with who.

"What about attendees?" Charlotte asked knowing Elizabeth would get even angrier.

"Do it and I'll personally throw your shit in a box when you're fired" Elizabeth spat and then walked away. Her interns following her without Elizabeth even saying a word. As they entered the OR viewing room Elizabeth turned to address her interns, "It's your job to check the OR schedule and make sure that if you're not doing rounds you're in this room… don't ask me about going in the OR, that proves to me you're bitchy interns and I don't like bitchy interns". Elizabeth walked out the room and took them to the ER. "This is what we call the jungle" Elizabeth dropped her clip board on the center observation counter and stared at her inters. "You will have one of four jobs… trauma pages, sutures in the jungle, code team and if I really hate you you're doing labs".

Elizabeth left the ER without even waiting to see if the interns were following her, "On call rooms are for sleeping NOT sex, let me catch you and I'll make sure you're doing rectal exams till you can't even look at food without yaking". She turned to her interns and looked each one in the eye before proceeding, "I am your boss, not your mother not your friend… do what I assign you because you have to". In her opinion her interns were a group of pansies, "You all have ten minutes before I expect you to meet me for rounds…go" she dismissed them and opened the chart in her hand.

"And so it begins" Dr. Richard Fitzwilliam snuck up behind Elizabeth and whispered over her shoulder.

"Two are gonna crack and change to pediatrics, one is going to ask to be changed to a different resident by next week and I haven't decide if the last one is going to choose general or just quit. The nark reminds me of Collins moronic self" Elizabeth analyzed her interns and walked away from Richard.

"Really Liz" Richard caught up to her, "must you scare them shitless?" Richard was the attending plastic surgeon at Mary and since he took the job he and Elizabeth had connected from the start.

"It's the only way I don't end up with dealing with half the crap Char has to put up with" Elizabeth answered handing the chart in her hand to a nurse and moving to grab another.

"What you guys doing?" Charlotte crept up to join Elizabeth and Richard.

"Liz is being a jerk to her interns" Richard grabbed a mint from the observation counter and popped it in his mouth.

"Dr. Fitzwilliam you're due in the OR for face reconstruction in 30 minutes…" Elizabeth shook her head at how easily distracted the two she was closest to in the hospital got. "Char why is your intern looking at me? Make him stop". Elizabeth walked away and went to the first room she would be doing rounds in with her interns.

"I swear it gets worse every year" Richard commented when Elizabeth left.

"You'd think she'd lighten up" Charlotte agreed, "but then again I enjoy seeing her interns terrified… makes 24 hour shifts entertaining".

"You going to the hospital mingle event tomorrow night?" Richard grabbed the folder from the intern, "The new attending neuro-surgeon is gonna be there".

"I am, but Liz isn't" Charlottes shrugged her shoulders when Richard gave her a worried look, "guess something came up".

"Boo!" Richard knew Elizabeth was only avoiding meeting the newest addition to the hospital because of what happened with the last one. "Make sure she's in the lunchroom at noon I'll talk some sense into her".

"Will do Doc" Charlotte saluted Richard then went to fix her intern's staring problem. "Hey you, do you honestly think you have a chance with Dr. Bennett? She's model gorgeous, brains that'll blow your mind and a 4th year resident? You're not even in the same league so keep your eyes to yourself". Turning to address the rest of her interns Charlotte said, "Come on I'll go over the process of how to properly address patients when we make our rounds and since you like to stare you'll be presenting first". Charlotte led her group of interns to the west wing of the floor to start rounds.

"Good morning Mr. Hale" Elizabeth greeted her first patient of the day. "I hope it's alright that my residents are here also". Elizabeth the boss of her residents was a completely different Elizabeth than the one that spoke to patients. Elizabeth was compassionate and kind to her patients, but when it came to her interns only thing she felt was they were the students and she was the teacher. "Ok who's presenting?" Elizabeth asked and stood off to the side while one of her interns took the floor.

"Patient is George Hale, 54 year old male…" The intern started presenting the patients case and Elizabeth offered her opinions. This carried on until her group of interns had finished their rounds. Elizabeth was due in the OR to assist Dr. Walker the Chief of surgery and whose specialty was cardiac surgeon with a valve replacement so she excused her interns for lunch and left to scrub in.

"Char tells me you're not going to the mixer tomorrow night" Richard was scrubbing out when Elizabeth entered the scrub room.

"I have plans" Elizabeth answered without looking at Richard. She knew exactly where this was going and she wasn't interested.

"Come on it'll be fun" Richard grabbed a few paper towels and studied Elizabeth's face. "When are you going to let it go Liz, he really isn't worth it".

"Richard, it's not about Dr. Phillips…" Elizabeth held her hands in front of her ready to enter the OR, "I really just have plans".

"Liar" Richard threw over her shoulder as she walked through the automatic doors leading to the OR.

"Glad you made it" Dr. Walker smiled, but of course Elizabeth couldn't see as he was wearing a mask.

"I could never stay away" Elizabeth let the nurse tie a protective gown around her and she walked to the surgery table. "Looks like I missed the party". Elizabeth always felt at peace whenever she entered the OR; it was home to her.

"Oh no, it's just getting started" Dr. Walker replied, "go ahead and make the first incision into the sternum". Dr. Walker admired Elizabeth's passion and it was easy for him to let her participate in his surgeries. She was fearless, but at the same time she was precise and careful. He never understood why she changed from neurology to cardiac; her precision and steady hand made her the perfect person for that area of surgery.

"How's was your daughter's recital" Elizabeth found small talk during surgery helped her focus, a quiet atmosphere made her over think things.

"Beth was brilliant…" Dr. Walker replied watching closely as Elizabeth made the next incision to access the valve needing replacement, "I can't believe she's already 10".

"I watched the video your wife posted on her blog" Elizabeth thought Dr. Walker's family was the golden family. Most of the married couples Elizabeth saw in the hospital were struggling to hold it together and many going through divorce. "Beth was phenomenal".

"She asked me if you saw it" Dr. Walker took the prosthetic valve from the nurse and began the replacement, "Wants to know when you'll come back and play a duet with her".

"Beth is a master pianist, there's no way I'm going to let her show me up again" Elizabeth laughed and held the clamp as Dr. Walker did the replacement.

"Go ahead and begin sutures" Dr. Walker felt like Elizabeth's talents were being wasted in this area, her talents were far better used in neurology, but what could he do? Elizabeth was set on her switch.

Elizabeth finished closing up the chest and left the OR to scrub out. The surgery took four hours and Elizabeth was both starving and exhausted, but she still had six hours before her 24 hour shift ended her last four hours she was on call so at least then she could get some rest.

"Dr. Bennett" one of her interns approached her timidly.

"Yes" Elizabeth answered without even looking up from the computer she was imputing charted information into.

"1040 needs antibiotics and I've never…" The intern was scared to approach Elizabeth, almost forgetting to give Elizabeth her 1 foot perimeter.

"Page the other interns to 1040, no point in showing just you when I'm sure they don't have a clue how to run a catheter either" Elizabeth finished her charting and left to room 1040.

After inserting the central line Elizabeth turned to her interns, "If you can't get it in the first time, take a deep breath and try again slowly… do not keep poking the patient because you're going to irritate them and that's going to irritate me". She walked out the room and returned to reviewing the charts her interns filled throughout the day. Elizabeth wasn't one of those residents that expected the interns to know everything immediately, but what she did expect was for them to learn whenever she instructed. Nothing was worse than having to keep telling and showing an intern how to do the same thing over and over.

"You really aren't coming to the mixer party?" Charlotte found Elizabeth standing at the center observation desk filling out a chart.

"I got something with Jane" Elizabeth smiled at her friend. She hadn't seen Charlotte since their morning rounds and missed seeing a friendly face.

"Seriously? Well you can still come I'm sure it won't end till 1:00am " Charlotte knew there was no budging Elizabeth from anything she agreed to do for Jane.

"It's Jane" Elizabeth answered dryly returning to the charts in front of her. "Plus, whenever I'm allowed to leave I'm going straight home to sleep" Elizabeth gave Charlotte a quick smile as her pager went off signaling she was needed for one of her patients.

When Elizabeth reached the room one of her interns briefed her, "Mr. Alex Parker, he was hit by a car and he won't stop claiming he has special gifts".

"Mr. Parker what can you tell me about this car accident?" Elizabeth walked into her patient's room and smiled at the man lying on the bed.

"Well I was crossing the street…" Mr. Parker looked at Elizabeth and was gesturing his hands wildly in the air, "and the bastard just hit me, but I'm not mad at him… since he hit me I seem to have these amazing powers".

Elizabeth had heard it all when it came to car accidents but this one was new for her. "Amazing powers?" Elizabeth questioned walking around the bed to grab Mr. Parkers chart. After looking over it she smiled and waited patiently for Mr. Parker to finish his story. "Ok Mr. Parker, see these long peaks" Elizabeth pointed to the EEG results in his charts, "the spikes in your temporal lobe show that you have epilepsy". Turning to her intern she found this to be a perfect time for instruction, "what's your prognosis?"

The intern looked at Elizabeth a little surprise that she was being address, but Elizabeth didn't care that the girl was nervous, "Order an MRI".

"Get to it" Elizabeth closed Mr. Parker's charts and handed it back to the intern, leaving the room to avoid having to deal with finally meeting the new attending neruo-surgeon when Mr. Parker's results came back in.

It was finally 8:00pm, Elizabeth clocked out and went straight to the upper resident's changing room. Her garment bag held her dress for the dinner she was attending with Jane. Charlotte was dressing for the mixer next to her and Elizabeth didn't feel too out of place putting on the deep red floor length gown with a high slit up the front of her right leg. Jane had chosen the dress for her because Elizabeth had threatened to show up in a plain black cocktail dress.

"Damn Cutter!" Charlotte stood back and admired how gorgeous Elizabeth looked in the dress, "did you take a scalpel to that slit?"

"Jane's doing" Elizabeth sat down on the bench to strap on her heels. "Don't get drunk and sleep with one of the residents" Elizabeth looked at Charlotte through the mirror as she tried to twist her hair into a chignon, eventually giving up and deciding to just where her natural curls gel'd and pinned up on one side.

"You really think my standards are that low?" Charlotte laughed and turned so Elizabeth could zip her dress, "I'm bagging the new neruo attendee".

Rolling her eyes at Charlotte's evil sense of humor, Elizabeth threw her belonging in her canvas duffle and swung it over her shoulder. "You ready?" Elizabeth ignored the looks the other residents were giving her and moved to leave the changing room.

"Thank God you're not going to the mixer" Charlotte smiled as they waited for the elevator to arrive, "There really is no way I'd have a chance with the new attending neuro-surgeon if you were there".

"Char you're not sleeping with the new attendee" Elizabeth ordered looking at Charlotte with a serious expression, "and even if I didn't agree to this dinner party with Jane I still wouldn't go".

"I really can't believe the new attendee has been here for two days and you've manage to avoid him" Charlotte fixed her hair looking at her reflection through the hospital windows. "I saw him for the first time this morning and I might even say he's hotter than you".

"Impossible" Elizabeth smirked feeling the cold air of the hospital air condition against her bare back. Finally the elevator arrived and Elizabeth stepped into the elevator without even looking at anyone who was already inside as she was too busy trying to pull her shawl out of her duffle bag. It wasn't until Charlotte leaned over to her that Elizabeth stopped her search for her shawl.

"The new attendee is in the back of you" Charlotte whispered into Elizabeth's ear causing her to completely tense and move forward to establish her one foot perimeter.

Pushing her hair to cover her bare back Elizabeth stood tense and stiff waiting for the moment the elevator doors would open. She had no intension of finding out who the new attending neuro-surgeon was until she absolutely had to. Through the corner of her eye Elizabeth could see Charlotte was seconds from exploding in laughter. Watching the floors descend Elizabeth prayed that neither Charlotte nor the new attendee would say anything. He was after all her boss so she really couldn't ignore him if he spoke to her, but if Charlotte was the one to screw her over Elizabeth was fully prepared to make her pay for it. The doors to the elevator opened and Elizabeth was out of there so quickly Charlotte was basically running to keep up with her.

"Slow down Liz" Charlotte gave up when she saw Richard waiting at the bottom of the steps leading to the large hall in the hospital where the mixer was being held. "Oh man do I have a story for you" Charlotte smiled at Richard who was watching Elizabeth leave the hospital like she was being chased by a pack of wolves.

"What's Liz's rush?" Richard smiled at Charlotte, but his eyes roamed over her shoulder when he saw Darcy approaching.

"Liz is freaking out over having being in the same…" Charlotte was gushing to Richard, but when Darcy walked up from behind her she immediately stopped talking and tried to act casual.

"Dr. Lucas have you met the new attending neruo-surgeon Dr. William Darcy?" Richard motioned Darcy towards Charlotte.

"No I haven't" Charlotte tried desperately to remain casual, but it was becoming very difficult due to the fact that Elizabeth all but ran out of the hospital because of the very man. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Darcy" Charlotte held her hand out to Darcy.

"Dr. Lucas is in her 4th year of residency here" Richard noticed how jumpy Charlotte was and gave her a questioning look which she avoided answering.

"Nice to meet you Dr. Lucas" Darcy replied shaking her hand.

"I thought Liz said she wasn't coming, why was she dressed…" Richard spoke softly to Charlotte as they went inside the hall.

"I'll tell you later" Charlotte cut him off as Darcy was only a few feet away from them.

After circling the room twice Darcy could not find the woman dressed in the red gown that entered the elevator earlier. Had he not been so awe struck in the elevator he would have introduced himself, but she had caught him by complete surprise. It also dawned on him that it would have been a little embarrassing to introduce himself in an elevator full of people. Darcy stood near the wall remembering exactly when the woman entered the elevator. The sweet smell of her perfume filled his senses and when she turned her back to him he had to force himself not to touch the perfectly tanned skin in front of him. It stood there taunting him the entire elevator ride. When the doors opened she had bolted out, Darcy rushed to try and catch her, but the Chief of surgery stopped him along the way and he lost sight of the woman in the red dress.

"Really Darce" Richard made his way to his cousin's side, "You're going to stand against the wall when every woman in the room is undressing you with their eyes?"

"Richard we all signed a no fraternization contract" Darcy didn't understand why Richard never understood what those contracts meant. However, Darcy had to admit he wouldn't mind breaking said contract for one woman who apparently wasn't in the room.

"Hey what chief don't know won't hurt him" Richard eyes were pinned on a cute intern.

After the Chief made the introductions for the attendees and chief Residents, Darcy was given the green light that he could leave. Having just worked a 30 hr shift, he wanted to get back to his home and spend the next 24 hours sleeping before he was expected back at the hospital. Before he left he scanned the room one more time to see if the red gown woman had shown up, when he found no one he left the party and headed to his newly bought house only 15 minutes away.

"Rich" Charlotte saw Darcy leave and couldn't hold in her gossip any longer. "About what I was trying to tell you earlier…"

"Yeah, what happen to Liz?" Richard gave up wanting to woo the new intern; he got closer to her and realized she was not worth breaking a fraternization contract over. Richard was a plastic surgeon for goodness sakes, of course he had standards, he was expected to be shallow.

"Well we both got dressed in the changing rooms, but Liz was too busy looking for something in her bag as we walked into the elevator and she didn't notice that Dr. Darcy was standing right in back of her". Charlotte's eyes were nearly popping out of her head as she retold the story to Richard. "They were this close" Charlotte stood an inch away from Richard to demonstrate the distance. "I whispered to her who was in back of her and she literally did her one foot perimeter thing and bolted out of the elevator the minute it opened". Charlotte put a finger up to halt whatever Richard was about to say, "but that wasn't the best part…." Charlotte paused to create a suspenseful effect, "no… the best part was Dr. Darcy was looking Elizabeth up and down the entire elevator ride. I swear he was ogling her goodies from behind".

"I don't believe you" Richard chuckled, "Darcy is my cousin… we went through preschool, grade school, high school, college, grad school, Med school and even residency together… he is not a womanizer and I would know because _I am one_".

"I'm not saying he's a womanizer" Charlotte knew what she saw, "I'm saying that your cousin has a flaming hot thing for Liz".

"No… Darcy is a man of principle and I'm telling you he will take the no fraternizing contract to his grave" Richard walked with Charlotte to the parking lot. The mixer was a bust and he was exhausted.

"No you misunderstand Richard" Charlotte corrected him, "Elizabeth would _never_ give Dr. Darcy the time of day… have you forgotten what your cousin's specialty is?"

Thinking about it Charlotte's story finally made sense to him, "Ohhhh, Darcy is the new neuro-surgeon…".

"Wow… no wonder you're in plastic surgery" Charlotte shook her head at how slow Richard was at times, "I don't even know why Liz and I bother dealing with you".

"Because I'm your boss and you have no choice" Richard shot back, "Goodnight Dr. Lucas, see you in 24 hours".

Giving Richard a dirty look Charlotte dropped into the driver seat of her car and drove off towards the house she rented with Elizabeth and Jane.

"How was the dinner?" Charlotte grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and spoon from the drawer and sat in front of Elizabeth.

"Fine, Jane got the Holmes Brilliance Award" Elizabeth pushed the cereal box across the table to Charlotte, "for that case with the little girl who was locked in the basement for like five years".

"I remember that" Charlotte poured some milk and her bowl and grabbed the front page of the paper, "I had no idea Jane was the one on that case".

"What do you expect?" Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, "it's Jane".

"What about me?" Jane walked into the kitchen dressed to leave for work.

"You're basically perfect" Elizabeth stood to get her sister a cup of coffee.

"Liz please…" Jane protested, Charlotte and Elizabeth were always teasing her about things, "it's not like I'm an actual doctor like the two of you".

"I'm sorry did you get your phD?" Charlotte gave Jane the paper she just finished, "you're a doctor Jane just the one who saves lives using the law… not a scalpel".

Grabbing the coffee Elizabeth handed her Jane picked up her briefcase and coat, "What are you two planning to do today?"

"Day off" Elizabeth pulled some ground beef out of the freezer to thaw for dinner, "lounge around and fall asleep in random places".

"Just don't do it on the bathroom floor again" Jane kissed her sister on the cheek, "you scared the life out of me the last time".

"I was actually thinking about going to the gym" Charlotte said once Jane left for work.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea" Elizabeth washed their breakfast dishes and turned to Charlotte, "it's been weeks since any of us used our membership passes".

"Uhm…" Charlotte tried to find a way to tell Elizabeth that she was actually going to meet someone.

"Are you going to work out?" Elizabeth knew by the way Charlotte's face dropped that something was up, "or are you going because there's some guy at the gym that you want to sexually harass?"

"Not sexually harass" Charlotte smiled, "I'll just tell him what I want and he'll have the option to accept or decline".

"You can't handle your sexual tension like a doctor Char" Elizabeth left the kitchen with Charlotte following at her heels. "You have to flirt and have conversation… not dictate for someone to meet you in the gym sauna for a quick fuck".

"I don't have time for that" Charlotte plopped down on the sofa beside Elizabeth, "plus, you're the last person that should be giving me the 101 on quick sex".

"At least I don't stalk a man down and give him his options" Elizabeth tossed the pillow cushion at Charlotte, "so I go to a bar and have a few drinks and most times end up bringing some guy home… I'm a doctor I don't have time for that commitment crap".

"And your approach is so much better than mine?" Charlotte worried about Elizabeth, ever since her fiancée left her after his tour in Iraq just after they finished their first year of undergrad; Elizabeth has avoided relationships all together.

"Char we're doctors, if we're not working we're sleeping" Elizabeth looked at her watch and stood from the sofa, "sexual need is part of being human, being in relationship is a choice… go to the gym get your need satisfied…I'm going back to sleep".

Shutting her bedroom door behind her, Elizabeth looked around her room and wondered how in her 29 years of life had she manage to come this far. Her high school sweetheart George Wickham had left her after returning from his deployment ten years ago. They planned to marry when he returned but he never did. His abandonment was hard for her to accept, but Jane and Charlotte were her rocks. Even though Charlotte went to Stanford and she and Jane were at UC Berkeley they met up every weekend. It was a huge gamble but Elizabeth was accepted into the residency program at Mary Parker in New Jersey, she didn't have the Ivy League background that Charlotte had and she didn't have any medically famous parents. Elizabeth got into the program by being first in her class and working hard, something she always thought was fueled by her loss. Charlotte's acceptance wasn't a surprise after all Charlotte's grandfather was Kent Mowry the surgical genius. Charlotte was smart, but her medical royalty was something that couldn't be ignored on applications. A stroke of luck allowed Jane to move to New Jersey to be mentored as the prospective chief of social work at county. The three stuck together through their struggles and Elizabeth was glad to have them.

Maybe it was a habit she picked up from the hospital, but Elizabeth was a germaphobic neat freak. Her room was light blue with white everything inside. White shelves, dresser, white bed and sheets and while the hard wood floor was deep cherry she had a white rug laid out over it. By having the room white Elizabeth felt like she could easily spot the dirt and dust that might have slipped in. Her promiscuity was something of a contradiction to her germaphobia, but that was an exception. Her job was stressful and pent up frustration was easily subdued with a night tumbling in the sheets, without the complications of commitment. Elizabeth didn't despise men; she just didn't care for the idea of family. Her own consisted of her English professor father, homemaker mother, Jane, their Goth possessed sister Mary and the twins Kitty and Lydia who were all still in college undergrad. No, having a family died with Wickham and Elizabeth let her passion for medicine wash that part of her life down the drain. So she had over $300,000 dollars in school loans and she was only making under $50k with her residency program, but it was worth it for her. The physical and mental therapy the OR gave her was priceless and she would do everything all over again in a heartbeat. Although she had initially wanted to be a neuro-surgeon she changed to cardiac last year after the incident with Dr. Philips killed her joy and drive.

"Liz, I'm home" Jane knocked on Elizabeth's door wanting to see if anyone was home.

Elizabeth crawled out of bed and walked towards her door. "Hey" she whispered still half asleep as she opened the door to let Jane inside.

Jane was all too familiar with Elizabeth's germaphobia so she left her heels out by the door and set her coat on the arm of the chair at the end of Elizabeth's bed. "I noticed you made spaghetti" Jane knew whenever Elizabeth was feeling down she would make comfort food rather than the more intricate and Martha Stewart type meals she would usually cook. "You wanna talk about it?" Jane asked climbing into her sister's bed and getting comfortable under the covers.

"The new neuro-surgeon arrived" Elizabeth leaned her head on Jane's shoulder as they both sat with their backs against the headboard.

"Oh…" Jane wasn't expecting that. She thought Elizabeth was going to tell her about a patient she was distraught over, but this was worse.

"I haven't met him yet" Elizabeth sighed and drew the covers up closer to her chest, "but I can't avoid him forever".

"Well… you have two options here" Jane put a comforting arm around her sister's shoulders. "You can be my sister, Dr. Elizabeth Bennett the strongest woman I know and face this professionally or you can be someone I don't know who hides around the hospital hoping to avoid your new boss".

"Can I be the latter?" Elizabeth mumbled and dropped to hide herself in her blanket.

"A coward?" Jane pulled Elizabeth's covers back and smiled at her sister, "No, absolutely not!... now come on I'm starving".

When Jane left the room Elizabeth groaned and walked into the hall go into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wake herself up with a quick shower. Jane was right, she couldn't avoid the new surgeon forever, eventually the OR would throw them both together considering she would have to assist on whatever surgeries she was assigned as she was a 4th year resident. Although her specialty was cardiac, attendees could do whatever they wanted and request whoever they wanted to assist them; which would most likely be the upper resident whose intern was in charge of pre and post op follow ups. Elizabeth was a professional and she was determined to behave as such.

Walking into the kitchen she saw that Jane had already set the table and was taking the garlic bread out of the oven. "Smells great" Elizabeth sat down at the table and poured herself some water.

"I think I heard Charlotte come in" Jane blushed and Elizabeth knew that meant Charlotte wasn't alone.

"You know it wouldn't' hurt for you to come home… not alone too" Elizabeth laughed at the horror stunned look on Jane's face.

"Liz you're so bad" Jane piled spaghetti on Elizabeth's plate and handed it her.

"Jane just cause you don't bring them home doesn't mean you're not still getting it in" Elizabeth sat back as she chewed her food. Jane was tomato red and Elizabeth loved seeing her sister so uncomfortable. "It's alright to have sex Jane; we're hard working women… a little physical exertion is mandatory".

"Liz… stop talking" Jane never understood how her sister could be so nonchalant when it came to the issue of sex. "Thanks again for coming with me to the dinner last night, I know you missed that hospital party".

"No thank you for getting me out of it" Elizabeth shoved food in her mouth and chewed like an animal, "we should put your plaque on the mantle".

"I was thinking in your room on the wall above your dresser" Jane laughed at Elizabeth choking on her food.

"I'm over the roof proud of you big sister, but that's a hell no" Elizabeth wiped her face, she had commitment and change issues. When she saw how amused Jane was she understood this was Jane's dorky way of pay back for Elizabeth's comments about sex. "Ha…ha I'll clear the dishes… is it alright if i play the piano for a bit? I know you have a lot of work to do" Elizabeth stood to take the dishes to the sink. When something was bugging her she would play the piano in the living room to help her sort through her emotions.

"Liz you never have to ask, you know I love hearing you play" Jane wiped down the table and threw the crumbs in the trash. "Reminds me of the days where all we had to do was go to school and then come home and drive mom crazy".

"Yea minus you from the equation and that would be true" Elizabeth said over her shoulder as she washed the dishes. Jane never drove their mother crazy that seemed to be the only thing Elizabeth was good at in her mother's opinion.

Positioning herself on the piano bench Elizabeth glanced over at Jane who had her work sprawled across the coffee table as she sat on the floor to do her work. The baby grand piano was the first thing Elizabeth bought when they moved into the house four years ago. It cost her two months of paychecks, but for her it was worth it. Aside from the OR Elizabeth found comfort when ever her hands touched the ivory keys. Her skill in piano was probably the one positive thing Elizabeth was able to get from her mother. Fanny's insistence that Elizabeth take piano lessons to become an accomplished young lady was actually a good thing. Elizabeth liked to think her hands were the two M's; _medically and musically made to produce meaningful change._

Very softly Elizabeth began playing the sheet music on the stand, Carly Comando's _Everyday_ which lead to a few pieces by Ludovico Einaudi and ended with Elizabeth's favorites Giovanni Allevi's _Aria _and _Back to Life_. After Elizabeth closed the piano cover she looked and saw her sister was watching her. "Really Janie, you're too emotional for me to handle" Elizabeth walked over to Jane and gave her sister a kiss on the cheek before going to bed. Her shift started in four hours and Elizabeth needed those four hours if she was going to have to be professional about meet the new attendee.

Jane usually worked through the night, when she heard a door in the hall open she expected Elizabeth to come out and tell her to go to bed, but to her surprise it was Charlotte and her male friend. Jane looked at the man and immediately her eyes widen in awareness of who it was. After Charlotte had shown the man out she came back into the living room with a guilty look on her face.

"Please don't tell Liz… you know how she is with the whole sleeping with people at the hospital thing" Charlotte whispered.

It wasn't Jane's business really, but Jane never kept anything from Elizabeth. To avoid having to make and actual promise to Charlotte Jane said nothing. She only ran her fingers across her lips in a zipper motion and turned her face back down to her work. Elizabeth would really go off on Charlotte if she found out the random guy she brought home was Bill Collins one of the attending surgeons at Mary Parker. Things around the house were definitely going to awkward until Elizabeth found out, which in the end would make things worse because now Jane knew. Grabbing her files and laptop Jane decided to call it a night before Elizabeth woke.

"Char you carpooling with me?" Elizabeth yelled as she stood at the front door. She hadn't seen Charlotte since she left for the gym. She had expected to see her waiting to use the bathroom, but Charlotte made no appearance. Elizabeth walked to her door and knocked, when no one answered she opened the door and saw the bed was made and Charlotte wasn't inside. Figuring she must have already left, Elizabeth locked the door behind her and threw her duffle into the passenger seat of her leased Jeep Wrangler and drove the 5 miles to the hospital.

"You alright? I waited for you this morning" Elizabeth walked into the upper resident locker room and spotted Charlotte changing into her scrubs.

"I'm fine, I just had to check on a lab before shift started sorry" Charlotte avoided Elizabeth's worried expression by bending down to tie her shoes.

"You sure you're alright you seem…" Elizabeth shoved her clothes into her cubby and slipped her scrub top over her head.

"No I'm good" Charlotte stood and put her beeper on her waist band and left.

Elizabeth watched her and felt like she was definitely missing something. Shaking off Charlotte's jerkish behavior Elizabeth finished dressing and left the locker room.

"Hey what's up with Char?" Richard walked towards Elizabeth as he saw her leaving the locker room.

"I have no idea" Elizabeth shook her head and pressed the elevator button to take her downstairs to the intern lockers. "She just stormed off".

"I said hello and she said move" Richard stepped inside the elevator and pressed the level for the ER. He was meeting Darcy there to discuss options with a burn victim.

"Maybe we should just give her some space today" Elizabeth didn't take Charlotte's behavior too brutally; Charlotte would come to her whenever she was ready. "I got rounds with the interns, I'll see in the OR for the breast implant removal at 10:00". Elizabeth left the elevator and grabbed the charts for rounds.

"Today is going to move fast" Elizabeth announced seeing her interns were still getting dressed, "I'm going to be in the OR pretty much all day so Carter you have Sutures in the Jungle, Miller trauma pages, Jenkins code team and Rox you got labs". One of the interns came up to her and Elizabeth immediately held up a finger causing the intern to nearly stumble as he came to an abrupt stop and moved back to give her a one foot perimeter. "What?" Elizabeth asked in irritation, she already knew he was going to complain.

"Uh… the patient Mrs. Wilkins is always touching me inappropriately can I please change" he asked a bit scared at how Elizabeth was now glaring at him.

"I don't do changes Dr. Miller" Elizabeth looked at the other interns to make sure they understood this message.

Miller wasn't going to deal with Mrs. Wilkins anymore and blurted out, "I'll do your post op reports for the next two weeks Dr. Bennett… just please don't let me have to deal with Mrs. Wilkins grabbing my junk anymore".

"God Miller, you would need to grow a pair first in order for that to happen" Elizabeth shook her head in annoyance.

"I'll take her if he takes Mrs. Lewis she's always complaining about her imaginary daughter and it's really boring to listen to" The only female intern Dr. Rox spoke up.

Sighing in frustration Elizabeth gave in, "Fine, Miller you have Mrs. Lewis and my post op reports for _three_ weeks and Rox you can take Mrs. Wilkins". Elizabeth looked at the other two interns to see if they needed to complain about anything, "We've got rounds so if you guys are done being little babies about patients let's go".

While one of her inters was presenting Elizabeth saw Charlotte through the room window standing at the center observation desk with her face in her hands. Something was seriously wrong with Charlotte. Even after a 30 plus hour shift she wasn't that cranky. Her intern had finished and they left the room to attend to whatever duties Elizabeth had assigned them.

"Char" Elizabeth approached her before leaving for the OR. "Seriously, just tell me what's wrong" Elizabeth put her hand on Charlotte's shoulder to let her friend know she was there for her.

"I..I don't know… I don't know what happened" Charlotte stuttered her way through coming clean. She felt horrible for asking Jane not to say anything and the guilt was eating her up.

"What are you talking about?" Elizabeth led Charlotte to a chair and pushed her to sit down.

"Just don't hate me after I tell you this" Charlotte took a deep loud breath and gave herself up, "I slept with one of the attendees last night" she whispered not wanting anyone else to hear.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock, they all had signed a No Fraternization between the different levels of the hospital. Residents could hook up with residents, but attendees were definitely off limits. "Oh… that's serious Char".

"I know… I know" Charlotte dropped her face into her hands she was nervous about it getting out.

"You really weren't kidding about getting the new attendee were you" Elizabeth stared at the hospital floor still trying to wrap her mind around the news.

"It wasn't him" Charlotte admitted following Elizabeth's trance with the hospital tiles.

"Oh please don't tell me it was Richard" Elizabeth put a disgusted look on her face, "I have to be in surgery with him in a few minutes".

"No..no it wasn't him" Charlotte knew Elizabeth would figure out who it was considering there only four attending surgeons left two of which were woman, one who was near his fifties and the last was Collins.

"Oh my God you slept with Collins?" Elizabeth finally turned and faced Charlotte to see if this was true. Seeing the shame on Charlotte's face Elizabeth was shocked stupid. "How the hell did that happen?"

"I don't know…. I don't know" Charlotte buried her face in her hands again.

They sat in silence for a few seconds when Elizabeth's watch went off signaling it was time for her to go scrub in. "Ok…ok" Elizabeth stated in assurance, "I'm gonna go scrub in and when I'm done in the OR you and I will figure out a damage control plan when I get back".

"Wait you're not mad?" Charlotte looked up in surprise that Elizabeth hadn't ripped her head off.

"Disappoint yes, but you're my best friend Char" Elizabeth did her best to smile reassuringly at Charlotte, "We're going to fix this just uh…. Don't tell anyone else and since Collin's is off today we have some time to figure out how we're going to keep it from getting to Chief's ears". Elizabeth ran down the hall towards the OR. Charlotte had really done it this time and the worst part is she did it with Collin's one of the worst most gossipy shameless flirts on staff. Richard was a flirt yes, but at least he didn't brag about who he bagged.

Making sure her hair was tucked underneath her cap, Elizabeth tied her mask around her mouth and walked into the scrub room. There was a tall doctor dressed in blue scrubs signaling he was an attendee washing his hands as she walked in. Elizabeth new all the surgical attendees there, but she had never seen him. She figured maybe he was from a different department probably just there for viewing purposes, so she went about her business scrubbing in. She could feel the doctor next to her glancing at her from the side, but she was already late for the surgery so she didn't have time to call him out on it. Even though he was an attendee and in a sense her boss, Elizabeth had a mouth of fire and a temper to match she wasn't above calling someone out. Shaking the excess water off her hands she held them in front of her and moved away from the sink. A quick glance at the man still standing at the sink alerted her that he was in fact staring openly at her now. All Elizabeth could see where his eyes and they were a mesmerizing blue, they bore deep into her own hazel eyes and Elizabeth didn't understand their intensity. Breaking eye contact she turned quickly and entered the automatic doors leading to the OR where Richard was just beginning to open the cut the breast.

"You're late" Richard looked up at Elizabeth and then refocused on the chest in front of him.

"Sorry, Char and I were talking" Elizabeth grabbed the suction and started clearing the blood so Richard could have a clear view of the implants he was removing.

"And?" he answered taking the forceps Elizabeth handed him.

"It's a girl thing" Elizabeth wasn't sure if telling Richard would be a good idea just yet, "you know periods and tampons type thing".

"That's not disturbing at all" Richard laughed as he removed the first implanted silicone breast and deposited in the tray Elizabeth held out to him.

"You're removing a woman's infected breast implants" Elizabeth took the second implanted breast from Richard, "I think you can handle hearing about a woman's time of the month".

"I can handle it yes" Richard finished pulled his hands away and let Elizabeth finish the sutures and closing the breast. "I just don't want to… Charlotte was a real monster this morning".

"Heavy bleeding does that to a woman" Elizabeth laughed as they left the OR to scrub out.

"Stop talking" Richard tried to shake the images out of his head. Hearing Elizabeth laugh next to him was not helping at all.

"I have to check in on the valve replacement patient from two days ago, maybe you should meet Char for lunch to see if she'll apologize for being a monster" Elizabeth walked beside Richard as they left the scrub room.

"But the images Liz…" Richard sounded like a child. Elizabeth left Richard and went to check on her post op patient. She was hoping maybe Charlotte would tell Richard herself then maybe the three of them could figure out a plan together. Who better to know how to deal with attendee and resident fraternization then Richard.

"Dr. Walker" Elizabeth greeted her mentor as they met in the patient who had the valve replacement's room.

"Elizabeth" Dr. Walker greeted setting down the patients charts, "he's responding perfectly".

"Glad to hear it" Elizabeth followed Dr. Walker out the room as he walked towards the center observation desk. "I saw you're scheduled for a CABG in an hour, may I assist you?" Elizabeth would live in the OR if she could, but getting as much experience as she could was practically the next best thing.

"I requested that you assisted me, but it seems you're scheduled to assist with another surgery" Dr. Walker moved towards the OR board to see where he saw Elizabeth's name. "Ah… right here craniotomy to remove aneurysm with Dr. Darcy".

"What?" Elizabeth looked at the board, those orders were not there when she took down her OR schedule for the day. "But that's not my patient?"

"Elizabeth, I ordered you to assist him…" Dr. Walker as the chief of surgery knew Elizabeth's talents were in neurology, she was wasting her talents in cardiac and he wanted to push her towards her calling. "Just go in and see if you still have that spark, you were neuro before cardiac and I think you changed too hastily".

"But chief…" Elizabeth did not want to step into that OR for a neuro surgery.

"It's not a choice Dr. Bennett" Dr. Walker stepped into the elevator, leaving a very disappointed and pissed off Elizabeth in his absence.

Elizabeth went to the patient's room to ready him for pre op, she was definitely screwed over in this situation. The chief had ordered her to assist that meant there was no backing out. Putting the patient's chart on his bed Elizabeth pushed him out towards the elevator that would take them to the OR. Pissed wasn't the right word to describe what she was feeling right now. Elizabeth hated neurology because of what Dr. Philips had done to her and now her she was scrubbing in for neuro-surgery.

"Dr. Darcy this is Dr. Bennett she'll be assisting you" Chief Walker introduced them to each other when Elizabeth entered the scrub room. It was the attendee she saw scrubbing in earlier. Elizabeth felt all the negative feelings and hate for neurology and those involved coursing through her.

"Hello Dr. Darcy" Elizabeth knew he was he boss so she remained civil, at least until the chief left the room.

"Dr. Bennet" Darcy spoke glad that his mask was hiding his slight grin. "I've feel like we've met before?"

"We haven't" Elizabeth replied coldly scrubbing vigorously at her arms.

"Have you ever assisted in this type of procedure before?" Darcy remembered Elizabeth from the scrub room earlier and he thought her a little stuck up. The way she acting and talking now was only proving that opinion correct.

"Yes I have" Elizabeth held her hands in front of her and walked away from the sink. She entered the OR without another word not wanting to have to talk to Darcy more than she had to. Because of this surgery she was now stuck in the OR for 4 hours with Darcy, this was absolutely one of those rare occasion where small talk in the OR was not something Elizabeth was looking forward to.

Darcy followed behind Elizabeth a little irritated that as a resident she was so disrespectful. He thought maybe she would bring a negative vibe into the OR, but what he saw when he walked in was like she was a different person. Elizabeth was standing next to the patient and talking to him.

"This is going to be straight forward procedure and the next time you open your eyes you'll be in your room surrounded by your family" Elizabeth smiled at the patient and stepped away to get the breathing mask ready for him.

"Dr. Darcy he's ready" Elizabeth spoke softly her tenses and cold tone gone as she didn't want to bring that into the OR to alarm the patient. "Are we a go for anesthesia?" She looked at Darcy for his reply.

"Yes" Darcy answered a little thrown off by the change in Elizabeth's attitude.

The anesthetic doctor administered the dose and Elizabeth placed the oxygen mask over the patient's face. Neuro-surgeries were a more serious atmosphere than any other department as one small mistake could potentially damage the patient's life forever.

Elizabeth handed the scalpel to Darcy and watched closely as he cut open the scalp. "Perforator please" Elizabeth held her hand out so one of the nurses could hand her the tool so that she may have it ready for Darcy one he was ready. Elizabeth looked up to the observation room and saw her interns sitting front row and Richard and Charlotte were also there. She could tell by the way they were conversing they were having a good time watching her miserably assist Darcy.

"Have you ever drilled the burr holes before Dr. Bennett?" Darcy asked knowing he was not only performing the procedure but was expected to instruct the resident assisting.

"Yes I have" Elizabeth's voice was soft and respectful. She knew that everyone in the OR plus the observation room could hear everything and she understood Darcy was the teacher and she was the student. She took the scalpel from Darcy's hand and placed the perforator in place of it.

"Chief said you were neuro before cardiac" Darcy's eye remained focused on the skull he was cracking open, but he was aware of how Elizabeth had stiffen after he spoke. "Having Dr. Philips as a mentor, why did you switch ?"

"Are you ready for the cranitome?" Elizabeth changed the subject not wanting the whole OR and viewing parties to hear her loose her temper. Elizabeth could not believe he actually went there. She handed him the cranitome and moved the cart next to him so he could place the bone flap on it. Elizabeth didn't have to look up at the observation room to know that Richard and Charlotte were getting a kick out of this.

"You didn't answer my question?" Darcy placed the clip at the base of the aneurysm and briefly looked at Elizabeth.

"I don't intend to" Elizabeth checked the clock, they had been in surgery for a little over 3 and a half hours.

Darcy looked at Elizabeth and saw the defensive woman that he met in the scrub room had returned. "You can close up" Darcy changed places with Elizabeth and watched as she replaced the bone and sutured the muscle back in place. She then without hesitation or guidance closed up the cut skin and stepped back from the operating table. Darcy had thought the chief was exaggerating in his praising of Elizabeth, but after seeing her fearlessly do as she was told without any input from him Darcy was fairly certain the chief wasn't exaggerating at all. Most of the residents he dealt with were all talk and no substance, Elizabeth was the only one he'd ever met that wasn't sucking up to him or batting her eyes at him in attempt to get his attention. She closed the patient's scalp without hesitation and Darcy was sure she could have done it in her sleep.

After the surgery Darcy purposely took his time scrubbing out so he could wait for Elizabeth. As she entered the scrub room Darcy saw her pull her mask down and exhale deeply. "I'm sorry Dr. Bennett but have a done something to offend you".

Closing her eyes in frustration Elizabeth knew this was coming and she clicked on the water faucet and started scrubbing her hands. "You physically…no" she answered very coldly refusing to look at him.

"So are you saying I've indirectly offended you?" Darcy was trying to make sense of it all, but he had only been at the hospital for three days and this was the first time he met Elizabeth. He couldn't think of any possible way he might have offended her to the point where she was so hostile towards him.

"You're my boss there's no way I can answer that question without you possibly wanting me fired after" Elizabeth stared Darcy in the eyes and squared her shoulders.

"Well then you have the floor for 60 seconds" Darcy threw back.

"You asked me why I changed specialties" Elizabeth pressed the lock button so the nurses still in the OR couldn't come out, "I changed to cardiac because the last neuro-surgeon here was a weak bastard and shitty ass excuse for a surgeon that didn't deserve the Boise Denary Award and because you are the new attending neuro-surgeon you've inherited this title and my hate for neuro-surgeons".

"Dr. Philips is a phenomenal surgeon how dare you insult him" Darcy came to the doctor's defense as Elizabeth stood their trashing his reputation.

"Have you seen him do a procedure?" Elizabeth wasn't backing down she still have 30 seconds of free speech left.

"Of course, the film of his removal of the tumor last fall is the year's highlight of medical accomplishment". Darcy challenged Elizabeth's argument and found himself beginning to hate her.

"No" Elizabeth exclaimed, "I mean in person, have you ever seen him perform a surgery?"

"Of course not, he was the attending surgeon here for 5 years" Darcy replied.

"Then you cannot vouch that he is a _phenomenal surgeon_ because I have and he isn't worthy to even practice medicine". Elizabeth pushed the unlock button to the OR and stormed out of the scrub room.

Richard and Charlotte waited at the center observation desk on the surgical floor for Elizabeth to return from the OR. When they found out Chief requested Elizabeth to assist Darcy for surgery they ran up a pool to see if Elizabeth would go off on Darcy in the OR or if she would be able to hold back. Charlotte was glad to see almost all the interns betting Elizabeth would crack. She knew Elizabeth well enough that she was certain Elizabeth would be able to hold her ground and refrain from disrespecting Darcy in front of everyone. The pool had brought in over $500 bucks and Charlotte was grinning like fool gloating at Richard. Her bad mood had faded when Richard told her about Elizabeth's OR orders. Now that she had the wad of cash in her hand her Collins problem didn't seem to matter at all.

"Hundred bucks says Liz blew a gasket in the scrub room" Richard challenged as he saw Darcy exit the elevator looking pissed off.

"I'll take that bet" Charlotte replied not aware that Richard had saw Darcy already.

"Darcy what's going on?" Richard asked his cousin as he came to the counter of the floor computer center.

"What so you know about Dr. Bennett?" Darcy asked Richard still furious about the meeting he just had with Elizabeth.

"Did something happen?" Richard shot Charlotte a knowing look for her to pay attention for the bet.

"She just threw some crazy accusation in the air and she's bloody insane" Darcy saw Richard smile and hold his hand out to Charlotte which she then deposited a wad of cash. "What was that?" He asked looking back and forth from Richard and Charlotte.

"Bennett is just bitter Darcy" Richard shrugged his shoulders "but she has a reason to be, not at you... But she does have a very good reason to be".

"Are you even speaking English?" Darcy looked at Richard like he was a strange foreign creature. "Why did Dr. Lucas just hand you money?" Darcy faced his back to the two of them as he scanned the surgical floor to see if Elizabeth had come back from OR.

"Excuse me Dr. Lucas" one of Elizabeth's interns approached the counter.

Charlotte was sulking at loosing the bet so when the intern addressed her she was irritated, "What?"

"Uh… Dr. Bennett is going to be doing a minor g-tube surgery in an hour" The intern was nervous talking in front of Richard and Darcy, "I really want in and I was just wondering…"

"You were wondering how you can bribe Dr. Bennett to letting you scrub in?" Charlotte smiled not believing the intern was stupid enough to even think about bribing Elizabeth.

"Cookies…" Richard answered quickly his evil streak coming out. "chocolate chip cookies".

The intern left smiling and Richard and Charlotte turn to each other laughing and high fiving.

"What's so funny?" Darcy watched as the intern left to the break room to get the cookies.

"Oh just watch" Richard pointed to the Elevator as Elizabeth stepped out.

The intern returned from the break room followed by three others who Darcy assumed were Elizabeth's other interns. They were standing close enough that he was able to hear everything.

"Dr. Bennett… I noticed you're scheduled to perform a g-tube surgery in an hour" the intern that approached Charlotte spoke, "I was wondering if I could assist… I brought cookies".

Elizabeth glared at her interns, "You're in my space". She looked at the cookies and then at the girl holding them, "Who told you I like cookies?" Elizabeth didn't need an answer; over the girl's shoulder she saw Charlotte and Richard horribly trying to hold back laughing. Putting on her fakest smile Elizabeth addressed all her interns, "So you brought me cookies…. Ah chocolate chip to be exact". Receiving a hopeful nod from the girl Elizabeth dropped her fake smile and got serious, "diabetes runs in my family… I don't eat cookies… I don't eat sweets and I most definitely don't let suck up interns enter the OR". Seeing the interns pale Elizabeth decided to make it perfectly clear to them. "Since you went to the trouble buying the cookies you all can share them while you're watching surgeries from the observation room because that is the only way any of you will see the inside of the OR for the rest of this month". Elizabeth dismissed them with the swipe of her hand and walked towards Richard and Charlotte.

Darcy thought that was a horrible way to treat the interns and decided as Elizabeth's boss he should reprimand her. "What method of teaching would that fall under Dr. Bennett?"

Elizabeth hadn't noticed Darcy standing there, still annoyed by their conversation in the scrub room she replied, "The _my interns are whinny, over confident lazy group of sissies that want to screw their way into getting favors_ method".

"You are aware that I'm your boss?" Darcy folded his arms across his chest in authority.

"Did you give me an order or a job to do?" Elizabeth stood defiant and unafraid.

"No" Darcy answered without thought.

"Then this conversation sound more personal than professional which is prohibited by the no fraternization policy" Elizabeth threw over her shoulder ending the conversation and walking away.

"Dr. Bennett I'm not done talking to you" Darcy followed her down the hall.

"If you're looking for someone to suck up and flatter you there are dozens of other residents who will jump at the opportunity" Elizabeth didn't slow her pace as she walked to her patient's room.

"I've done nothing to deserve the way you're treating me, I am your superior and…" Darcy could not believe he was chasing after the snobby resident, but something in him wouldn't let him drop the issue.

"I have nothing against _you_… I don't know _you_… I don't know what _your_ accomplishments are… you just have the unfortunate honor of being the new neuro-surgeon". Elizabeth stopped walking so that her patient would not hear their argument, "that's it".

"So you're determined to hate me on pretence" Darcy had his hand on his hips and his eyes bore into Elizabeth's.

"Precisely" Elizabeth whispered and slipped into her patient's room ending the conversation.

When Darcy returned to the central console where Richard and Charlotte were still sitting he was furious. "How has she remained a resident here?" Darcy raked his fingers through his hair, "She has no respect for authority".

"No, Liz respects authority" Richard answered, "She just doesn't respect you". Richard turned to Charlotte and asked, "Should I tell him?"

"I'm not answering that" Charlotte stood to leave, "No way in hell I'm getting involved if Bennett finds out".

Both Richard and Darcy watched Charlotte leave and then Darcy turned to Richard, "Tell me what?"

"Why Dr. Bennett changed from neuro to cardiac and pretty much the reason she hates you". Leading Darcy to the on call room he shut the door behind them and locked it. "What I tell you can never be repeated or pursued… do you swear Darcy?"

"What?" Darcy sat on one of the beds and looked at Richard like he was an idiot.

"You have to promised you will never repeat what you find out and that you won't ever pursue it once you find out" Richard knew if Darcy promised he would keep it.

"You're seriously a moron Richard… fine I promise" Darcy watched as Richard pulled out his phone, touched a few buttons and then shoved the phone in his hands.

"You want me to watch Dr. Philips remove the epic tumor?" Darcy asked in annoyance, "I'm a neuro-surgeon Richard… of course I've watched it at least 100 times".

"Shut up and watch the damn thing" Richard sat next to Darcy and watched along.

"Ok" Darcy spoke after the tumor was removed, "that's why Dr. Philips is a medical royalty now… that was a colossal tumor".

"No" Richard looked pointedly at Darcy and replayed the video, "don't watch the tumor watch the hands".

Darcy pinned his eyes to the screen, he saw Dr. Philip's hands holding the Nico Myriad removal tool and then the video zoomed in to feature just his hands and the patient's brain. Darcy pinned his eyes on the hands and then he saw it. The hands left the frame for a split second and the ones that came back to the frame weren't the same ones that were holding the Nico Myriad tool before. These were smaller and thinner. He quickly rewound the clip and watched it again thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him, but they weren't. "Dr. Philip's didn't remove that tumor" Darcy whispered his voice was filled with complete shock.

"No he did not" Richard stared knowingly at Darcy hoping he would make the connection on his own.

"I read the post ops" Darcy was analyzing everything, "This can't be right… he removed that tumor Richard… I read his research and the reports".

Richard just shook his head and watched the shocked flood Darcy's face.

Darcy finally remembered a few details from the post op report "There were two other residents assisting him… but I can't remember their names".

"Oh I can" Richard spoke like a smart ass, "one was a male and one wasn't… obviously the male resident is out of the question so let's just focus on who that female resident could have been….hmmmm?". They sat in silence as Darcy's mind struggled to find the answer.

"It was Elizabeth" Darcy made the connection, he was stunned. Elizabeth had performed the surgery of the year and Dr. Philips was taking credit for it. No wonder she was so angry when he mentioned Dr. Philips. Everything made sense and Darcy really couldn't believe how insane the whole thing was.

"Oh no.. it's Dr. Bennett to you Darce" Richard was really rubbing it in now. He watched Darcy stand and moved towards the door, "Wait Darce you promised" Richard quickly blocked his exit.

"The man is a liar Richard" Darcy stepped back and shook his head trying to process everything, "Chief has to know…"

"No…nono Bennett is going to literally kill me if she found out I told you" Richard was afraid now, Darcy had a determined expression and Richard could just see his life flashing before his eyes. "I told you she was bitter for a reason, I only meant to let you understand why, not so you could ruin everyone's lives".

"The only life I would ruin is Dr. Philip's the man is a liar, he was awarded the Boise Denary Award the most prestigious medical honor out there" Darcy was furious that he had defended him, that he even admired him.

"No" Richard pushed Darcy away from the door and forced him to sit down. "You go to chief the hospital is looking at a lawsuit for malpractice, Elizabeth isn't board certified yet, the entire program goes under the knife and most importantly Elizabeth is going to kill me… Darcy you've seen my face, it's practically flawless".

"Richard are you hearing yourself?" Darcy was a man of honor and principle, "the entire world believes a lie".

"And you will be a liar too if you break your promise of silence" Richard had to resort to the only thing he knew Darcy never broke and that was his promises.

"Richard how can you possibly hold me to it?" Darcy paced the room, "Elizabeth performed the medical surgery that set the next bar for neuro-surgery".

"You out Dr. Philips you ruin Elizabeth's career… " Richard tried to explain, "She wasn't authorized to perform that surgery Darce, her boards aren't till the end of this year and what makes you think Dr. Philips won't throw her under the bus when the news comes out".

"Why didn't he perform the surgery?" Darcy didn't understand why Elizabeth would even have to step in.

"That was his second attempt at getting the tumor" Richard explained, "They were nearing the 11th hour and Philips froze. According to hospital policy the same procedure can only be attempted twice and Chief never felt the tumor was operable to begin with. You know that 13th hour is when it's time to close up before infection. Elizabeth took over when Philips froze and no one knows except Philips, me, you, Charlotte, and Elizabeth's sister".

"Wait what about the other resident?" Darcy didn't completely understand how all this had gone unnoticed.

"He had to use the restroom and stepped out" Richard stood his beeper going off, "Darce you can't say anything, nothing good is going to come from it".

After Richard left the room, Darcy tried to figure out how all this had happened, it was crazy. Determined to make sure what he saw was real Darcy went to the hospital media room where all the films were kept. He would find the hard copies of the post op reports and get to the bottom of how this got swept under the rug.

Finishing up the last of her surgeries for the day Elizabeth wanted to get some rest. As she walked to the on call room she stopped to make sure her interns were doing their jobs. Grabbing a fresh sheet from the linen cart, Elizabeth pushed open the on call room door. Darcy was sitting on one of the beds, but Elizabeth was tired so she just ignored him and spread the clean sheet over the bed furthest away from him.

Darcy didn't know what to say when Elizabeth walked in. He felt like he was looking at a completely different person, someone who he felt deserved the respect of every doctor.

Elizabeth made sure every section of the bed was covered and she removed her scrub shirt and laid face down on the bed. The fact that Darcy was probably watching her didn't trump the downright exhausted feeling bringing her down. The moment she closed her eyes she felt an instant relieve to her fatigue.

Not being able to ignore the burning urge to say something Darcy grabbed a chair and walked it towards the bed Elizabeth was sleeping on. He sat down in front of her bed and spoke, "Dr. Bennett".

"What" Elizabeth muttered not even opening her eyes or lifting her head off the pillow.

"I feel I need to apologize" Darcy spoke softly watching for Elizabeth's reaction.

Elizabeth thought she misheard Darcy and turned her head towards him, "You need to what?"

"Apologize for…" Darcy really didn't know what he was apologizing for, he hadn't thought the conversation through he was just acting with his gut instinct.

Elizabeth looked down at the phone in his hands and her eyes immediately knew what the video on the screen was of. Jumping into a sitting position she stared Darcy right in the eyes, "I don't know what you know but whatever it is … it's a lie".

"Richard said…" Darcy didn't care what he promised Richard; Elizabeth needed to know he understood why she was so cold to him.

"I'm going to KILL HIM!" Elizabeth cut Darcy off. She grabbed her scrub shirt and left the room so quick Darcy didn't have time to react.

Checking the OR schedule Elizabeth knew Richard wasn't in surgery. She circled the surgical floor seeing if he was meeting with a patient. When she found no one she went to Richard's favorite spot to hook up with residents. Darcy was following her but she was on a mission, avoiding the slow elevators Elizabeth flew up the two flights of stairs leading to the ICU, Richard always used the same closet to handle his business.

"Dr. Bennett" one of her interns tried to stop her to get her opinion on something but Elizabeth stormed past her and straight to the closet she knew Richard was in. Turning the knob she was glad she found it was lock, it meant Richard was actually inside.

Elizabeth pounded on the door, "Richard I need to ask you about a patient it's really important" she lied. It was a few moments before the door swung open and one of Charlotte's interns stood in the back of Richard flush faced and her appearance a mess. "GET OUT!" Elizabeth ordered to the intern and out of the corner of her eye she saw Richard tense and moved deeper into the room.

"Darcy what the hell man you promised" Richard immediately took a defense mode as Elizabeth dismissed the intern he was fooling around with and walked into the room shutting the door harshly behind her.

"No you promised Richard" Elizabeth's fists were clenched and she was seconds from introducing them to Richard's jaw.

"Liz come on this face" Richard pointed to his face, "It's my money maker, my profession".

Darcy entered the room and his arms circled around Elizabeth's upper body making it impossible for her to advance toward Richard. "Dr. Bennett just calm down".

"Get your hands off of me" Elizabeth spat over her shoulders struggling to break free from Darcy's firm grip. "Richard I trusted you, why the fuck would you tell a complete stranger what I confided in you?"

"Darcy isn't a stranger Liz, he's my cousin" Richard was still backed up against the wall. He warned Darcy the Elizabeth would seek blood if she knew he told him anything.

"I won't say anything" Darcy broke the tension in the room and felt Elizabeth stop struggling in his arms.

"Still doesn't explain why you opened your mouth Richard" Elizabeth was pacing the room taking deep long breaths to calm herself.

"Darcy was being a crybaby complaining about you being such a snob" Richard sighed in relief that Elizabeth wasn't going to hurt him.

"I wasn't being a crybaby" Darcy glared at Richard, "Bennett you were being a little over the top high and mighty".

"I told you to your face though" Elizabeth didn't understand how in one 24 hour shift her entire trust system here had turned on her. "I said it's not that I hate you I just am against your specialty… if you came in as the attending general surgeon I would have no issue, but you didn't you are a neuro-surgeon and I have no interest in that department anymore".

"But the chief was right" Darcy admitted, "you have the potential to be great… if the video is true then you already are".

"You see Richard this is exactly what I was talking about" Elizabeth pointed at Darcy, "I don't want to be anyone's neuro-protégé…".

"I think you should come back to neuro-surgery" Darcy stated. It was a no brainer; Elizabeth was disciplined and perfect for it.

"No I don't trust you" Elizabeth stopped pacing and stared Darcy down.

"I can change that" Darcy smiled smugly at Elizabeth.

"Don't…" Elizabeth shook her head. Darcy was trying to kill her with kindness and flattery. "Don't do that!"

"Then agree to let me mentor you" Darcy watched Elizabeth's walls come down. He saw the fire in her eyes, she missed neurology and she was realizing that.

"Fine" Elizabeth agreed. Turning to Richard she spoke, "One of my interns is going to scrub in every time you're in the OR once their done being punished for that stupid cookie incident".

"You get your dream job back and I'm getting punished?" Richard threw his hands up in defeat.

"No you're getting punished for opening your big mouth and for fucking an intern…" Elizabeth turned to leave the room,"seriously you need to be tested because I'm 100% sure they get around…frequently".

When Elizabeth left Richard turned to Darcy, "You're an ass hole you know".

"Stop worrying, she didn't touch your pretty little face Richard" Darcy grinned and opened the door to leave.

"I wouldn't be so cocky Darcy" Richard laughed as he stood next to his cousin in the elevator, "you've just agreed to be stuck in the OR with the woman who wore the red dress in the elevator the night of the mixer".

Darcy stopped smiling and looked seriously at Richard, "What?"

"Yeah… I guess just because you fix brains doesn't mean you know how to use your own" Richard was pissed at Darcy for ratting him out, "Dr. Bennett… girl in the red dress. Have fun holding up that no fraternization contract". Richard left the elevator and went to check on his patients.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: New Episode of Grey's Anatomy came on today!

* * *

Humming softly to herself, Elizabeth moved the steam mop back and forth on the living room hardwood floors trying to get a few chores done before Jane and Charlotte woke. Hearing footsteps behind her, Elizabeth turned towards the hall to find a very handsome dirty blonde haired man trying to tip toe out the house.

"Ahhhem" Elizabeth cleared her throat. She was in a very good mood because upon getting off shift earlier that morning it became very clear that Jane had a house guest. Elizabeth was well aware that Jane and her house guest weren't sleeping all night considering her sister's room was right next door.

"Uh.. well..um Good Morning" The morning creeper greeted her.

"I'm Liz and you're?" Elizabeth didn't even try to hide her amusement at Jane's guest's discomfort.

"Charles… Charles Bingley" Charlie held his hand out to Elizabeth. "Please call me Charlie".

"Uh did you wash those?" Elizabeth pointed at Charlie's extended hand.

"Liz!" Jane came down the hall completely mortified at Elizabeth and her germ phobia.

"I'm so sorry Charlie" Jane turned towards him, "Liz is a germaphobic".

"That I am" Elizabeth added smiling at Jane's blush covering her cheeks. "So I made breakfast" Elizabeth announced, "I would love it if you joined us Charlie".

Jane turned abruptly to her sister shooting daggers with her eyes, "Actually Charlie was just leaving".

"Oh no" Elizabeth placed her steam mop against the wall and walked towards Charlie, "I insist". Leaving Jane and Charlie standing in the living room and going into the kitchen to serve breakfast.

"Can I say no?" Charlie whispered to Jane as they watched Elizabeth disappear.

"If you want to live?" Jane threatened playfully, "then no you can't".

"Breakfast it is" Charlie followed Jane into the kitchen.

"So about my germ phobia…" Elizabeth smiled when the couple entered the kitchen.

"Yes I washed my hands" Charlie laughed at how odd Jane's sister was.

"Well then it is a real pleasure to meet you" Elizabeth held her hand out to Charlie. "Tell me how did the two of you meet?" Elizabeth placed a plate of Eggs, bacon and pancakes in front of Charlie and one in front of Jane.

"We're working on a case together" Charlie answered without pause.

"Really?" Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest and stared amusingly at Jane. Jane knew all too well her opinion about sleeping with the coworkers and here her sister was being a spontaneous little sneak. "So you're a…".

"Lawyer" Charlie noticed the looks passing between the sisters, "Am I missing something?"

"No" Jane assured giving Elizabeth a look that meant to cut it out.

"And you Liz?" Charlie question between bites.

"I'm a surgical resident at Mary Parker" Elizabeth took the stool across from the couple and left a plate of food next to her for when Charlotte decided to make an appearance.

"What a coincidence, I happen to be close friends with two surgeons there" Charlie smiled, "Perhaps you're acquainted… Dr. Darcy and Dr. Fitzwilliam".

"You don't say" Elizabeth could not believe her ears. "Dr. Darcy just so happens to be my new mentor and Richard is the always present pain in the ass I like to call Ken Barbie".

Hearing Elizabeth's comment Charlie nearly choked on his orange juice, "Sounds a lot like Richard".

"Well, it was absolutely wonderful to meet the reason I got no sleep early this morning, but if you'll excuse me Charlie I have to finish disinfecting this house" Elizabeth kissed Jane on the cheek and left the happy couple alone.

"Is she always…" Charlie laughed trying to process his encounter with Elizabeth.

"Blunt!" Jane finished his comment, "yes, I'm so sorry"

"No, don't be" Charlie took Jane's hand, "I think she's a lovely breath of fresh air".

"Oh Charlie" Elizabeth popped her head back into the kitchen, getting both Jane and Charlie's attention she continued, "tonight's taco night and if you're not busy you should really come over".

Once Elizabeth left Jane rolled her eyes, "You really don't have to, my sister is addicted to cooking and…"

"I'd love to come if you want me…" Charlie interrupted shyly.

"I do" Jane smiled blushing from the neck up.

"Well then I'll see you at taco night" Charlie rose from his stool and placed a kiss on Jane's cheek. After cleaning away the breakfast dishes with Jane, he walked towards the living room and found Elizabeth polishing her piano. "Thank you for breakfast Liz and I'll accept your offer for taco night".

"6:00" Elizabeth grinned looking up from her polishing, "don't bring anything, I have it all under control".

"Absolutely not" Charlie objected, "I'll bring the beer and dessert".

"Oh…" Jane whispered from behind knowing Elizabeth's view on sweets.

"Not too much desert" Elizabeth instructed, "I run a tight ship here when it comes to sweets, but because my Janie is blushing I'll make an exception tonight".

"You have my word" Charlie smiled and walked out the house with Jane.

"I like him" Elizabeth smiled at Jane, but that smile quickly faded when she saw Jane rushing at her with eyes that could kill. Laughing hysterically Elizabeth let Jane chase her around the living room a few times before she finally dropped on the couch and let Jane have her tickling revenge.

"Liz you're so horrible" Jane squealed.

"You should be thanking me" Elizabeth smoothed out her shirt and sat up once Jane let her. "If I left you two alone you wouldn't be seeing him again tonight".

"Oh my God" Jane sighed, "He's coming back for taco night".

"You better get to the grocery store because tonight really wasn't supposed to be taco night" Elizabeth giggled and returned to polishing her piano.

"I'm so nervous Liz" Jane blushed, "Charlie is just amazing and…".

"It didn't sound like you were nervous this morning" Elizabeth answered sarcastically.

"Liz!" Jane scolded, "Please no more about that, it's embarrassing enough as it is".

"Nothing to be embarrassed about sissy" Elizabeth plugged in the vacuüm, "Charlie sounded like he knew what he was doing".

"Oh my god, I have to leave" Jane cried feeling so mortified Elizabeth was really going to talk about her having sex with Charlie.

"Good," Elizabeth agreed, "go to the grocery store for taco night, you're interfering with my mental disorder… get off the couch I need to vacuum it".

Once Jane left for the grocery store, Elizabeth just finished her morning chores when Charlotte decided to make an appearance.

"I heard voices?" Charlotte yawned walking towards the kitchen.

"Yeah" Elizabeth walked down the hall towards the bathroom, "Jane had a guest and he's coming for taco night".

"But taco night isn't till Friday" Charlotte glanced at the calendar on the counter to make sure she wasn't missing something.

"We're moving it to today, I had to play wingman for Jane and that was the best I could come up with on spot" Elizabeth yelled from inside the bathroom, stripping off her dirty chore cleaning clothes and hopping right in the shower.

"So what happened with Richard and Darcy during shift?" Charlotte grabbed the plate Elizabeth left for her and sat in the hall opposite the open door of the bathroom to talk with Elizabeth.

"Richard has a huge mouth and Darcy thinks he can handle mentoring me" Elizabeth knew it was a bad idea to accept Darcy's offer, but if she was really being honest she lived for neurology.

"I told him it was a bad idea" Charlotte snitched, "what do you think about Darcy?"

"Uh I don't really know much about his practice…" Elizabeth answered truthfully, "But if Chief accepts him, he must be pretty damn good at what he does".

"Liz I don't give a shit what you think of him as a surgeon" Charlotte rolled her eyes, "What do you think about his ass, his juicy perfect lips, those blue ocean deep eyes…"

Turning off the shower and wrapping her towel around her, Elizabeth stepped out and eyed Charlotte sitting on the floor opposite the door "I don't look at his ass or his lips, his eyes are a very nice color but that's it… "

"Please!" Charlotte shot back, "The man was mind-sexing you in the elevator the night of the mingle event… don't tell me you're not even a little bit intrigued at how gorgeous he is".

"Char, you really need to distance yourself from those kinds of thoughts" Elizabeth walked towards her bedroom, "Need I remind you who we're going to have to take care of once our shift starts tomorrow?"

"Collins was a huge mistake" Charlotte sighed, "God I hope by some force of nature he doesn't remember".

"Not a chance in hell" Elizabeth replied pitilessly, "Our best bet is to recruit Richard".

"No, anything but Ken Barbie" Charlotte whined, "I'll never hear the end of it".

"I don't have any better ideas" Elizabeth shrugged, "Call him, invite him to taco night and we'll see what he thinks we should do".

"I love how you're referring to this in terms of 'we' and 'our'" Charlotte beamed.

"I always got your back Char" Elizabeth smiled, "But don't you dare step inside this room because you haven't showered". Firmly closing the door in Charlotte's face, Elizabeth went about getting dress and sleeping until it was time to get things ready for Taco night.

"Did you invite Richard?" Elizabeth asked while setting up the condiment station and taco assembly line.

"Yes he said he'll be here" Charlotte was sulking, she didn't want Richard to know it would give them something in common and she hated Richard having something to tease her about.

"Don't look too defeated, maybe Richard is actually a genius behind that Ken Barbie face" Elizabeth smiled to herself knowing Richard was as dramatic about his face as he was narcissistic.

It was exactly 6:00 when the door bell rang and all Elizabeth and Charlotte could hear was feet scurrying down the hall and Jane yelling, "I'll get it".

"Someone's excited" Elizabeth teased as she followed Charlotte out of the kitchen.

Walking out into the living room Elizabeth was expecting to see just Charlie or maybe even just Richard, but to her surprise she found both with the addition of Darcy. "Hey" she tried her best to make her greeting sound welcoming.

"Liz" Charlie smiled brightly at her, "Look who I found waiting outside" he stepped back and gave Elizabeth a full view of Richard and Darcy.

"I noticed" Elizabeth was having trouble trying to figure out if she was comfortable with Darcy in her house or not. "Well welcome back Charlie and Richard… Darcy uh… welcome to our home".

"Thank you" Darcy replied feeling a little uncomfortable that Richard forced him into Elizabeth's company.

"I'll take that" Elizabeth took the pack of beer Richard was holding and pushed him towards Charlotte, "Uh you two should go in the kitchen and wash your hands before bringing out the rest of the food". Smiling awkwardly at Darcy, Elizabeth nodded her head towards the living room, "It's taco night so things are very casual… I hope this isn't weird for you, you can call me Liz if you want, I totally get the necessity of addressing each other properly when it comes to work".

"Weird?" Darcy asked following Elizabeth into the living room where the coffee table was pushed towards the middle of the room and there were floor pillows surrounding it.

"Mentor… student" Elizabeth shrugged and placed the beer on the table near the liquor. "I'll just grab a few more floor cushions, excuse me".

"I love taco night" Richard announced choosing a spot on the floor.

"Exactly why we don't invite you anymore" Charlotte smiled sarcastically across the coffee table.

"You should probably go wash your hands Darce" Richard suggested knowing how clean freak crazy Elizabeth was. "Liz won't let you touch anything if she knows you didn't".

Excusing himself, Darcy walked into the kitchen and washed his hands. When he returned Elizabeth was now sitting on the floor with an empty ottoman next to her which was clearly meant for him.

"Why is that so funny" Elizabeth questioned after Richard said some jerk comment about her germ phobia.

"Because you'll never know what it means to be a true bed freak" Richard stated in between bites.

"Maybe I can take pointers from our cute little cuddly bears in their own little world" Elizabeth suggested sarcastically looking at Jane and Charlie who were eat and talking amongst themselves. Out of the corner of her eye Elizabeth saw Darcy was watching her, "So, of course with taco night we…."

"Have game night!" Richard finished Elizabeth's sentence.

"Richard wants _theme song blunder_ and I want _word-buzz_" Charlotte answered.

"Charlie, Jane?" Elizabeth looked across the table for their answer.

"Poker" Jane suggested knowing Elizabeth enjoyed playing poker.

"What?!" Charlotte exclaimed, "you suck at poker".

"Yes but I don't" Elizabeth smiled in appreciation at her sister.

"Darcy?" Charlotte questioned him for his opinion but only received him shrugging his shoulders.

"What's it gonna be Liz?" Richard wiggled his eyes brows for her to choose his game.

"What's theme song blunder?" Charlie asked never hearing of that game before.

"It's where Elizabeth plays a random theme song on the piano and who ever guesses it first everyone else has to take a shot, but drinking could be avoided if someone can name five characters in under 10 seconds and only one person could do that per round… one point system and if challenger gets it done both are awarded a point. Also, you fail a challenge you down a whole beer plus your shot".

"So Liz is excluded?" Charlie said hesitantly trying to understand the game.

"Well she's the only one that can play the piano… unless you guys are down for humming" Charlotte suggested.

"I'll play theme song blunder" Darcy spoke for the first time, he was very curious to hear Elizabeth play the piano.

"Yes!" Richard nodded gratefully at Darcy.

"Me too" Charlie agreed.

"I guess that's majority" Richard stood and redistributed another round of beers and set up the shots.

"I don't know why you're so excited Richard" Elizabeth returned from washing her hands, "After three shots you can hardly remember how to count and you've already had two".

"Oh just play the damn piano" Richard ordered, "If I do get too drunk can I stay in the guest room?"

"Charlie won't be using it" Elizabeth could help but jab at her sister and her new male friend.

Elizabeth settled behind her piano and placed her Ipad on the sheet music holder. Tapping her folder containing all the sheet music she collected for this game, she flicked her finger to randomize scrolling and stopped it to reveal the first song.

"Why is Darcy staring at her like that?" Charlotte whispered to Richard as they waited for Elizabeth to start.

"I guess cause he knows Liz was the one in the red dress?" Richard shrugged thinking Charlotte was trying to distract him from winning.

"You told him?" Charlotte smacked him in the arm, "Damn I wanted to use that as a bribe"

"Shut up" Richard ordered her, "I'm trying to win this shit thank you".

Playing the first theme song, Elizabeth got past the intro and two full chords when she heard Richard yell, "Pirates off the Caribbean".

"Challenge" Darcy said quickly, "Elizabeth Swan, Will Turner, Jack Sparrow, Barbossa and Calypso".

Elizabeth couldn't help the smile that came over her seeing Darcy was actually participating. "I think we got ourselves a game".

"Don't tell me you're a movie junkie too" Charlotte pouted.

"Ah don't whine… drink up sweetheart" Richard smiled smugly at Charlotte.

"I guess we better get serious" Charlie suggest to Jane after they took their shots. "Apparently those two are playing to win" he nodded at Darcy and Richard.

"Can we mix in Disney movies because I haven't watched a movie in months and this ass hole is grinning too much for me to feel like I have a fighting chance" Charlotte complained.

Flicking her ipad screen again Elizabeth stopped it randomly and played the sheet music that popped up.

"Flintstones!" Jane scram first.

"Challenge" Charlotte smiled, "Wilma, Fred, Barney, Betty and Bambam…bitches ".

"I'm sorry but BamBam Bitches is not a character from the Flintstones" Richard shook his head.

"Shut up and drink" Charlotte gloated.

Looking out at everyone taking shots, Elizabeth watched Darcy. She still couldn't believe he was actually a willing player in this game. "Way to represent" Elizabeth congratulated Jane and Charlotte.

"I'm not worried" Richard shot back, "Char doesn't know the difference between the Harry Potter theme song and the Lord of the Rings let alone any of the characters".

"Okay next one" Elizabeth chose and played the intro_._

"Friends" Charlie answered without hesitation.

"CHALLENGE!" everyone except Charlie yelled at the same time.

"Oohh challenge breaker" Elizabeth smiled and rubbed her hands together in delight. "First person to tell me who yelled 'Pivot' in the episode where they were trying to get the couch up the stairs".

"Ross" Darcy answered.

"Challenge starts now" Elizabeth smiled at him and then looked down at her watch.

"Ross, Rachael, Monica, Phoebe and Chandler" Darcy was enjoying the game and even more so than the game he liked listening to how easily Elizabeth played and sight read.

"Aww…" Elizabeth turned to Richard, "Are you pouting?"

"I don't think Darcy should be allowed to play" Richard was feeling the last two shots getting to him, "He has mutant enhanced memory".

"Hey don't complain because your ass is losing" Elizabeth answered turning to choose another theme song. Smiling at the theme song she landed on Elizabeth knew who was going to get this one. Playing out the notes it only took 3 seconds before she heard the answer.

"The Office!" Jane smiled.

"Challenge" Richard said smugly, "Jim, Pam, Michael and Dwight".

Elizabeth stared at Richard like he was an idiot, but saw that Charlotte had her finger to her mouth to keep everyone else from saying anything.

"Time's up" Charlotte pressed her lips firmly together to stay as serious as she could.

"I beat time" Richard stated not understanding what everyone was laughing for.

"You only said four you moron" Charlotte was on the floor rolling in laughter.

"I said five, Jim, Pam, Michael and Dwight…. shit" Richard held up a finger for every name and realized he was in fact missing one.

"Beer and shot" Elizabeth frowned at Richard, "I guess you'll be needing that guest room".

"Well Darcy isn't in any condition to drive either" Charlotte suggested knowing she would love to see what Darcy looked like without a shirt. "I think he and Richard should match points at the end for the guest room or couch".

"I'm fine" Darcy quickly added not wanting to intrude on their hospitality.

"Oh no you're not" Jane added never one to support drinking and driving, "guest room goes to whoever has the highest points".

"Last I checked right now that's Darcy" Elizabeth was having a lot of funny rubbing it in Richard's face.

"Just play the next song" Richard leaned his back against the couch to focus.

Elizabeth purposely chose the next one knowing Richard wouldn't have a clue what it was. It took a little longer for anyone to answer, but finally someone did.

"Phineas and Ferb" Darcy answered surprising everyone in the room.

"Challenge" Jane answered after the shock that Darcy answered correctly faded away. "Phineas, Ferb, Candice, Isabella and…" Jane froze.

"4…3…2" Charlotte counted down.

"Buford" Jane exclaimed just in the nick of time.

"How did you know that?" Elizabeth questioned Darcy once Jane's challenge was over.

"A patient of mine loved that show" Darcy answered innocently looking away from Elizabeth to avoid her gaze.

Nodding her head in astonishment Elizabeth looked at the three losers in the room "Seriously? Jane and Darcy are kicking your butts".

"I'm so gone… I can't even decipher what you're playing anymore" Charlie admitted.

"Just one more so I can at least say I beat these two" Charlotte pleaded knowing her alcohol capacity was reaching its peak.

"Alright…" Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, "I guess this one it just to test which of you three is the least drunk". Picking an easy one because she knew Richard was too far gone to really even be awake right now, she played out the music.

"Madagascar" Charlie said guessingly.

"You're right" Elizabeth smiled at him.

"Fuck that I challenge" Charlotte refused to tie with Richard. "Alex… Gloria.. Marty… Skipper and who is damn giraffe?" Charlotte searched her mind for the name but it was not coming.

"3… 2…1" Elizabeth cringed knowing her friend just earned herself a beer and a shot. "Melman" Elizabeth looked apologetically at her friend.

"Uhhh" Charlotte groaned filling her cup with a beef and dropping a shot bomb inside. "I'm gonna be sick" she cried after drinking her punishment.

"Join the club" Richard added, he was already feeling sick.

"You two are pitiful" Elizabeth stood and went to the kitchen to get them double lined trash buckets to throw up in. "Here" Elizabeth place one in between Richard's legs and did the same for Charlotte. "Both of you are sleeping out here, that way I know the mess will be in one place".

"I'll get them some blankets and pillows" Jane stood and dragged a very drunk Charlie with her.

Glancing over at Darcy, Elizabeth stood "If you're tired I can show you to the guest room?"

"Are you sure it'll be alright?" Darcy asked.

"Yeah" Elizabeth smiled warmly at him and sat back down on her piano bench, "I have to admit you really surprised me tonight".

"I can say the same about you" Darcy countered walking over to her at the piano, "you don't mind if I sit?" Darcy asked remembering her germ phobia.

"No" Elizabeth scooted over to make room for him; "It's really a mild case of germ fear".

"I've been here three hours and you've washed your hands ten times, you Clorox wiped your beer bottle and you lysoled the air around Richard and Charlotte " Darcy felt Elizabeth's case of germ phobia was a little more than mild.

"In my defense those two are slobs" Elizabeth held her hands in front of her a feeling of disgust washing over her thinking about the messes Charlotte and Richard were capable of. Hearing Darcy softly chuckle next to her, Elizabeth smiled and flicked the screen of her ipad to bring up a random sheet of music.

"You pay incredible well" Darcy complemented watching Elizabeth chose a new piece to play.

"Thank you" she said sincerely, "My mother forced me to take lessons when I was five… turns out I had a knack for using my hands".

"I really am sorry about what happened with Dr. Phillips" Darcy couldn't believe someone was capable of such deceit.

"Don't be, I've still got a lot to learn… " Elizabeth started playing _Doug Hammer: Sunrise_.

"Have you told chief about coming back to neuro?" Darcy watched as Elizabeth's thin fingers moved so gracefully across the keys.

"I'll tell him tomorrow when shift starts" Elizabeth oddly enough didn't feel nervous that Darcy was next to her.

Elizabeth finished the song and gently closed the lid. Glancing at Charlotte and Richard she saw they were both dead asleep on the two sofas. "Come on I'll show you to the guest room" she walked down the hall, "Here's the bathroom and here is the guest room". After making sure there were enough blankets and towels for Darcy, Elizabeth bid him goodnight and went into the bathroom to wash and ready for bed. Once her shoes were off and outside her door, she changed into her PJs and fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Tying her hair up and wrapping a headband around her head, Elizabeth went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Considering all she had last night was one beer, she didn't have the hangover the other five people still asleep were going to have. When breakfast was made, Elizabeth spot cleaned the entire kitchen and left the food in the oven set on warm and went to conquer the living room. It reeked of throw up. Sighing in relief that both Richard and Charlotte managed to make it to the waste bins, Elizabeth put on disposable gloves and walked both barf bags out to the trash bins. Trying to be as quiet as she could, she cleared last night's dinner remains and polished the coffee table. Once all the floor pillows were placed back in the hall closet, Elizabeth started her steam mop and sanitized the entire floor; horrible thoughts of the possibility of Richard and Charlotte's throw up splattering on it made it near impossible for her to get any sleep.

"Didn't she do that yesterday?" Charlie asked walking out of the hall with Jane and seeing Elizabeth steam mopping again.

"Shhh…" Jane hushed him, "eat first so you can think properly".

"Breakfast is in the oven" Elizabeth shot over her shoulder hearing Jane and Charlie, "And wash your hands".

"Morning" Elizabeth greeted Darcy as she moved into the hall with her steam mop. "Jane and Charlie are having breakfast in the kitchen" she pointed towards them.

"Good Morning" Darcy looked at Elizabeth questionably, "You can't honestly be this active in the morning?"

"Bacteria never sleeps Darcy" Elizabeth didn't even look up from her intense mopping, "There's brand new toothbrushes in the drawer… I suggest you enjoy breakfast and head home as shift starts in an hour and a half".

"Thank you" Darcy shook his head amused at how Elizabeth's case of germ phobia was far from mild.

"Come on you two" Elizabeth needed to sanitize the sectional and Richard and Charlotte needed to get up for work.

"God Liz why do we have to suffer because you're scared of germs" Charlotte groaned pulling the blanket over her face.

"I was being nice…" Elizabeth glared at Charlotte and pulled the blanket off, "get the fuck off the couch and go take a shower".

"My head.." Richard sat up feeling the weight of his hangover.

"Aspirin is in the bathroom mirror and toothbrushes are in the drawer" Elizabeth pushed Richard with her glove protected hands towards the bathroom.

"She really is always that way…" Charlie commented sitting at the kitchen island drinking coffee.

"I'm use to it" Jane smiled, "clean house and good food… worth bossy germ scared sister".

"Jane can I use your bathroom" Elizabeth walked in the kitchen all done with her sanitizing, "Charlotte is taking forever and I need to get ready for work".

"Of course" Jane rose and took the dishes to the sink, "But I swear if I find you in there scrubbing the shower and toilet again it'll be the last time".

"As tempting as that sounds" Elizabeth agreed, "I don't have time". Leaving the kitchen to get ready for work, Elizabeth stopped in the hall when she saw Richard and Charlotte were talking.

"Rich says Collins isn't a problem" Charlotte said awkwardly.

"Well then good it's settled…" Elizabeth shrugged, "we do nothing, I'll see you guys at work".

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Charlotte warned Darcy who was just about to wash his breakfast dish. "Only other person Elizabeth trusts enough to wash dishes is Jane… she finds out anyone else did them she'll take them out and wash them all again".

"She's a psycho" Richard added finishing up his own breakfast.

"Stop dogging on my sister" Jane scolded "Come on everyone out, we all have work to get to".

"Uh" Charlie stuttered turning to Jane, "My sister and brother in law are coming on Friday… would you like to have dinner at my place?"

"Are you trying to pay me back for my sister?" Jane teased grabbing Charlie's coat from the closet.

"No one is crazier than Liz" Charlotte put in her two cents.

"Actually I was thinking maybe Liz could come too" Charlie suggested.

"What about me?" Charlotte teased with a pout at being passed up.

"And me?" Richard wasn't playing like Charlotte was, he really wanted to be invited.

"Everyone can come…" Charlie shrugged in frustration that they were all interfering with his private conversation with Jane, "But will you?" he asked turning to Jane.

"Yes, I'll ask Liz if she can make it" Jane smiled and kissed Charlie lightly on the cheek. "Now go".

"She can make it" Richard threw over his shoulder as he walked out the door, "I know because I'm her boss".

"Darce you'll join us right?" Charlie asked his friend as they walked out to their cars.

"Absolutely not!" Darcy said without thought, "I will never agree to be stuck in a room with your sister".

"But Liz will be there" Richard added smugly.

"I don't see why that matters" Darcy tried to remain indifferent.

"Come off it Darce" Richard laughed, "I may have lost the guest room last night, but being on the couch gave me a perfect view of you staring at Liz the entire time she played that last piece".

"I'm not interested in _Dr. Bennett_" Darcy made it a point to separate the work Elizabeth from the Liz.

"That's good to know" Elizabeth walked up alongside the three gentlemen and threw her bag inside her jeep. "See you gentlemen at work".

Charlotte walked right behind Elizabeth towards the jeep and met Darcy's eyes, "Liar" she whispered knowing full well Darcy was very interested.

"Shit!" Darcy muttered as he and Richard got inside his Audi, "Why are you always provoking me?"

"Hey you said it not me" Richard threw back, "I don't know why you have to be up tight all the time".

"It's called a contract…" Darcy spat knowing he just created a huge problem.

"All it says is you can't have a personal relationship with her _while you're clocked in_" Richard reasoned.

"Did you even read the contract?" Darcy could not believe how much of an idiot Richard was sometimes.

"Sure" Richard answered sarcastically.

"You're a moron" Darcy left the car and walked inside his house.

"Why do you have this huge house?" Richard looked around the empty place knowing Darcy only furnished his study, and his bedroom, "Get a pent house man…"

"The view is priceless" Darcy threw over his shoulder leaving Richard to go and get himself ready for work.

When Richard was showered and dressed he went out the back French doors and took in the priceless view Darcy was so in love with. A wooden stair case lead down the cliff to the beach below, with the shoreline waves rhythmically smashing back and forth; a great view indeed, but Richard prefer more of a birds eye breathtaking view not this up close and personal one Darcy was into.

"Let's go" Darcy called out to Richard.

"Just tell Liz you meant you weren't interested in _Dr. Jane Bennett_ her sister" Richard suggested knowing Darcy was angry about earlier..

"Stop talking" Darcy was in a horrible mood. Richard took a good evening and morning and ruined it by asking him questions about Elizabeth.

"Char was right…" Richard rolled his eyes and got out the car.

"Richard just drop it" Darcy growled as they walked inside the hospital.

"Chief has called a board meeting" The chief's assistant met Darcy and Richard in the hall on the way towards the attendee locker rooms.

"Thank you" Darcy replied politely.

Changing into his scrubs, he and Richard went to the conference room where all the board meets were held.

"Thank you for meeting me on short notice" Chief Dr. Walker said giving his assistant the cue to begin distributing the meeting folders. "In front of you is last year's annual report… as Chief I have the responsibility to make sure this year's report looks better than this" Chief Walker held the folder up. "One of the things I noticed put us in a great position last year was our annual gala brought in over 20 million in donations".

"Thanks to me right?" Richard interrupted.

"You wish" Chief Walker shot back.

"All that from just a gala?" Darcy looked up in surprise.

"Oh not just any gala…" Richard answered, "It's annual bid on the hottest doctor at Mary Parker gala".

"Richard that's enough" Chief Walker raised his hand to move the meeting along, "Dr. Darcy since you're the newest member here let me just give you a quick overview; the state's richest and wealthiest are invited and they in turn have the opportunity to participate in a closed bid auction with reserves on the attending of their choice for dinner. While this may not seem very entertaining at a glance, it turns out there are a lot of people out there that would love dinner with doctors and they need the tax break so it's a win-win".

"I beg your pardon Chief, " Darcy shook his head in protest "But, I'm not being auctioned off to the highest bidder".

"I don't mind" Richard added, "Some woman donated 3 million big ones for a night with me".

"I'm currently in a relationship so I'd like to be excluded also" Dr. Bill Collins added causing everyone at the table to look at him in disgust.

"No one cares" Richard spat.

"That's enough" Chief Walker knew this board meeting would take longer than he wanted having Richard in the room. "Darcy the gala is mandatory as a hospital fundraiser".

"The auction is an invasion…" Darcy argued.

"It's a charity auction Darcy no laws are being broken" Richard was all for the auction.

"You have no choice, Every board member is participating" Chief Walker said firmly, "Please look at page two".

"We're using residents?" Collins looked up in surprise, "surely we cannot…"

"I think adding 4th year residents and fellowship doctors will only boost our donations this year" Chief replied.

"And we're offering 1st 2nd and 3rd year residents in groups to school districts as speakers and special guests?" Richard looked down at the auction additions.

"Politians will be here also, so they'll fit perfectly into the category of wanting guest speakers to promote higher education and college".

"That I can agree with" Darcy dropped the folder on the table, "but individually singling us out to have dinner with a stranger… I can't…"

"You can and you will" Chief Walker instructed, "I want to raise the budget for clinical trials and also charity and free care allowances and that won't happen if this gala doesn't bring in more than last year".

"Face it Darcy" Richard gloated, "Fundraisers are part of the _contract_".

Glaring with annoyance at Richard, Darcy asked, "What are the terms of the auction?"

"Reserves will be set for everyone depending on specialty" Chief Walker motioned his assistant to remove the promotional advertisement. "Doctor goes to the highest bidder. You're bound to the winner for dinner and conversation… nothing else".

"Nothing else being optional" Richard added with a smug grin on his face.

"Must we really include residents" Collins complained.

"Yes, there are a few upper class residents that I'm very confident will bring in a substantial amount of donors" Chief Walker was speaking of a very specific 4th year resident when he said this.

"And who exactly are you referring to?" Collin's beat Richard to the question feeling a bit over protective of a certain 4th year resident.

"We're not going to discuss this now" Chief Walker avoided the question, "All of you have surgeries scheduled so we need to close this meeting up".

"I'm curious as well" Darcy added feeling like if he was going to have to deal with this horrible fate he should at least get is curiosity quenched.

"Alright," Chief sighed in frustration that his board members were very irritating, "Bennett and Lucas".

"Lucas?" Collins exclaimed, "No… no she shouldn't be included".

At Collin's outburst Richard realized what his problem was. "Shut up Collins… Lucas comes from a family of medicine I agree with chief, she has a hefty price tag".

"And Bennett?" Darcy questioned trying to remain indifferent, but he was dying to know if it was because she was undeniably attractive or if something else gave Chief confidence in her.

"She's young, beautiful and brilliant when it comes to patient care" Chief stated without hesitation, "I happen to know there are donors lined up with check books in hand".

"That's exactly the thing I'm talking about" Darcy was in his feelings hearing that Elizabeth already had prospective donors, "It's barbaric to auction ourselves and our doctors off to spend the night with strangers".

"It's just dinner" Chief Walker responded, "And the hospital relies heavily on donations. The Gala happens every year and the auction has never had any problems… We're doing it and that's final". Chief Walker dismissed the meeting and left the room to handle other hospital business.

"Richard this can't be legal?" Darcy was furious.

"Suck it up man" Richard grabbed some mints from the circulation counter they passed, "You're either worried your poor people skills are going to embarrass you or you're jealous that someone is going to get a date with Liz and you aren't". Staring smugly at Darcy, Richard shrugged, "So which one is it?"

"Why do I even bother?" Darcy spat and left Richard to scrub in.

"He didn't mean it" Charlotte looked over at Elizabeth as they both scrubbed in to assist Chief Walker for bypass surgery.

"I don't care" Elizabeth shrugged, "Makes working together so much easier knowing he won't be trying to get inside my pants".

"No he wants to be there" Charlotte assured, "Richard was just being an asshole".

"Seriously… drop it" Elizabeth walked into the OR and let the nurse glove her. "Good morning Chief" Elizabeth greeted Dr. Walker and positioned herself beside him.

"Ah I was wondering when the two of you would decide to come to work" Chief teased.

"If I had a choice I would've stayed home" Charlotte joked knowing the Chief to be very down to Earth and a genuine good person.

"We'll that's not the attitude I was looking for" Chief teased pausing to finish his comment before using the bone saw.

"So I checked my email and noticed 4th year residents are allowed to attend this year's Gala" Charlotte commented assisting Elizabeth in properly placing the ratchet mechanism and spreader.

"Suction" Chief Walker ordered, "Yes, I think the both of you deserve to go".

"Really?" Elizabeth answered smugly, "I thought we were only invited because we're easy on the eyes".

"Ha…ha" Chief Walker gave a sarcastic laugh, "The hospital needs money and as Chief I need to get it for them".

"Can argue with honesty" Elizabeth replied, "I'm sure the pool between residents will start the minute word of the Gala gets around". Checking to make sure there was no air in the heart lung machine tube, Elizabeth connected the aorta.

"Lucas what happens if there's air in that tube?" Chief Walker asked to make sure his doctor's were learning here.

"It will go straight to the brain and can potentially cause neurologic injury" Charlotte answered watching carefully as Elizabeth's hands worked without too much interference from Chief. "About the pool, one has already started" Charlotte took the clamps from Chief Walker.

"I really shouldn't be hearing this" Chief Walker cringed knowing his doctors were firm gamblers when it came to hospital bets.

"You couldn't stop it even if you tried" Charlotte laughed, "Can I attach the gaft?"

Elizabeth looked up at Charlotte visually questioning if she was focused enough to do it, "Alright" Chief agreed and Elizabeth moved her hands back so Charlotte could take over.

"Just take your time Lucas" Chief Walker instructed observing Charlotte's movements closely.

Charlotte wanted to specialize in cardiac but with Elizabeth there she knew she'd have to play second string. However now that Elizabeth was going back to neuro, Charlotte finally had her chance to step it up.

"You want the vein to fit perfectly in that groove" Chief Walker instructed, "accommodate the sutures accordingly ensure proper attachment".

"Just take a deep breath and try again" Elizabeth saw Charlotte was nervous and having trouble parachuting the vein down. Taking the suction tube from the nurse, Elizabeth walked Charlotte through it all.

"Now tell me what you want to do?" Chief Walker asked calmly seeing that Elizabeth had Charlotte focused and nearing the end of the surgery.

"I'm going to take the clamp of the mammary artery so warm blood can reach the heart" Charlotte said firmly, "Bypass is done, heart is beating…looking at EKG, patient is warm".

"You're ready to separate from the heart lung machine and once you're satisfied with heart contractions" Chief Walker looked proudly at Charlotte, "you can work on closing our patient up".

"We're completely off heart lung machine" Elizabeth announced suctioning and watching the heart carefully.

"Heart contractions look great" Chief commented, "Good job ladies, way to step it up Lucas".

"Thank you sir" Charlotte sighed in relief.

"Look at you tryna take my thunder" Elizabeth teased Injecting anesthetics in the inner hostel spaces to make it comfortable for the patient when they wake.

"Ahem" Charlotte cleared her throat mockingly, "I think you have a bit of news to relay".

"Chief I'd like to go back to neurology" Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Charlotte and helped her closing the chest walls.

"I knew you would" Chief replied smugly, "You two seem to have everything under control here… thank you". Chief excused himself to scrub out leaving Elizabeth and Charlotte to finish making sure orders were put in for the patient.

"Aren't you even a little curious what the pool is up to right now?" Charlotte asked as she and Elizabeth walked towards the ICU to make sure the patient was settled properly.

"No" Elizabeth answered truthfully; she already had her hand in the bet but she wasn't going to tell Charlotte that.

Spotting Richard and standing on the surgical floor, Charlotte detoured from the ICU and walked towards them. "Just in case you're betting, I'm going to bring in more money than you" Charlotte announced creeping up behind Richard.

"ahaha" Richard sarcastically laughed out loud "My face speaks in my defense".

"Hello Darcy" Charlotte smiled fake-ly at him.

"Dr. Lucas" Darcy replied dryly.

"Don't worry, she's doesn't hate you" Charlotte added seeing Darcy look questionably at her.

"I'm betting on Liz" Richard watched Elizabeth return from the ICU, "her pool is almost up to 700 right now against Darcy".

"No freaking way?" Charlotte exclaimed, "who's handling?"

"Liz's interns" Richard answered, "Say she'll be auctioned for more than a million than Darcy".

"Man I wanted to have that bet" Charlotte searched the floor for one of Elizabeth's interns, "Shit!" she whispered seeing Collins approaching with a large flower arrangement.

"He thinks you guys are dating" Richard smirked, "tried to get you out of the fundraiser".

"Crap…" Charlotte looked around for an escape. Spotting Elizabeth she rushed over to her friend, "Liz you have to help me… Collins is coming with flowers".

Dropping her board on the counter, Elizabeth gave both Richard and Darcy a fake smile of acknowledgement, "what do you want me to do? Just ignore him".

"No, Liz he's coming this way please" Charlotte forced herself too look down.

"I'm not touching those" Elizabeth shook her head in determination, "I don't know where his hands have been".

"Please!" Charlotte begged.

Sighing in irritation, Elizabeth grabbed a pair of gloves from the side cart and walked over to Collins, "Why Dr. Collins" Elizabeth gave him the softest smile she could manage, "how sweet of you to bring your patient such beautiful flowers".

"Well… there not…" Collins stuttered trying to tell Elizabeth they were for Charlotte.

"Oh no need to be so humble" Elizabeth interrupted, "You've truly gone above and beyond when it comes to patient care".

"But, Dr. Bennett…" Collins tried to side step Elizabeth.

"No!" Elizabeth moved in his way and took the vase of flowers, "I'll have these placed near the window just so when they wake it'll be to these gorgeous roses". Without waiting for an answer Elizabeth stormed down the hall to put the flowers in one of Dr. Collins's patient's room.

"Damn she's good" Richard muttered watching Elizabeth walk away with Collins trailing after her.

"So you're the relationship Dr. Collins thinks he's in" Darcy looked at Charlotte for confirmation.

"It was a mistake" Charlotte didn't know what Darcy would think of her breaking the rules.

"Clearly" Darcy stated not knowing how anyone would get involved with Collins.

"About that pool?" Charlotte changed the subject and turned to Richard.

"I wish I got out of the meeting fast enough to start it myself" Richard shrugged, "I have no doubt Liz's gonna take it". Receiving a glare for Darcy, Richard added, "You're cute Darce, but let's be realistic… ass brings the cash and Liz has a very nice one".

"Thank you" Elizabeth replied from behind, "I surely hope you're right".

"What's that suppose to mean?" Charlotte asked a bit confused why all of a sudden Elizabeth wasn't against the pooling going on.

"Let's just say my interns are very supportive of their resident" Elizabeth removed her gloves and squeezed some hand sanitizer into her hand.

"You little snake" Richard looked accusingly at Elizabeth, "you're running that bet?"

"What can I say?" Elizabeth grabbed her things off the counter, "I'm very confident" she answered and walked away.

"Dr. Bennett, a minute please" Darcy moved to catch up with Elizabeth.

"Yes?" Elizabeth answered unemotionally.

"About earlier…" Darcy knew he needed to apologize.

"Don't worry about" Elizabeth cut him off, "I'm glad we're on the same page… I take my job very seriously and I don't date or sleep with anyone here".

"My sentiments exactly" Darcy agreed half heartedly.

"See you in the OR" Elizabeth added before leaving Darcy standing in the hall.

* * *

"Liz please?" Jane begged. It was Friday morning and she needed to convince Elizabeth to come to dinner that night at Charlie's place.

"I get off at 7:00, dinner will be over" Elizabeth placed some fruit and granola bars in her bag.

"No it won't" Jane assured, "Charlie said we'll have a late dinner just for you".

"Uh, no" Elizabeth shook her head, "Dinner is at 6:00 Jane, tell Charlie thank you but I'm working".

"Liz…" Jane pouted following Elizabeth into the living room. "I'm so nervous, look I'm sweating and dinner isn't til this evening" Jane added lifting her arm to show Elizabeth her sweat marks.

Quickly scooting away from her sister's bodily exertions, Elizabeth replied "yuck… Fine!"

Releasing a heavy sigh of relief Jane walked into her room and brought out a garment bag and heels she already chosen for Elizabeth.

"Jane did you go in my closet?" Liz asked in frustration.

"Don't worry I did it right after I showered last night" Jane answered.

"Just start dinner without me, I'll have a big lunch so I'm not starving" Elizabeth took the garment bag from Jane.

"No…" Jane answered, "Charlotte and I will meet you at the hospital so we can all drive over together".

"You're such a scary cat" Elizabeth threw over her shoulder as she hopped in her car and left for work.

* * *

Elizabeth was watching the real time MRI scan of her patient pop up on screen when she felt a presence behind her.

"Did you find anything?" Darcy asked taking the chair next to Elizabeth.

"His first scan images from last week are right here" Elizabeth placed the results on the x-ray viewing board, "You see that?" she asked pointing to the thalamus of the brain.

"Tumor…" Darcy agreed.

"He's young… can we risk it?" Elizabeth stared at the scan results feeling like more damage than good can be made in trying to remove it.

"It's low grade… very risky territory" Darcy sighed seeing exactly what Elizabeth was referring to, "I can't really say for sure if it's operable… I'll need another MRI to track growth".

Elizabeth hated seeing these kinds of cases, the ones that could be help, but in helping them they could potentially damage the patient further. Sitting down she shut her eyes and exhaled deeply. "I read an article about laser interstitial thermal therapy… if we can get it cleared; I think it's the best way to avoid cracking open the skull and removing perfectly good brain tissue".

"That's right" Darcy nodded in understanding, "but I've never done it in the thalamus and I can't say that it's even been attempted in New Jersey".

"Sounds ground breaking to me" Elizabeth suggested, "I just don't think we should approach this normally… "

"We're going to need to get inside the labs before that's even a possibility" Darcy understood what Elizabeth was asking and he was apprehensive.

"Top of the head how much time do you think it'll take you to master this?" Elizabeth was glad Darcy didn't completely toss the idea out.

"A day," Darcy challenged with full cockiness

"Really…?" Elizabeth teased feigning disappointment, "that's sad, I'm positive I'll get it the first try".

"Oh you think you're better than me?" Darcy shot back grinning at Elizabeth's confidence.

"Please I wouldn't waste the thought… But it's you're call," Elizabeth looked smugly out of the viewing glass and watched as their patient underwent another MRI "I'm willing to put in the time and help you master it".

"You weren't exaggerating when you said you were confident… what are we waiting for?" Darcy looked encouragingly at Elizabeth, "We got a laser to acquire and a Chief to convince".

* * *

"Guess who got a NeuroBlate grant approved?" Elizabeth gloated poking her head into Darcy's office.

"How is that even possible I left you ten minutes ago?" Darcy looked at her in shock.

"I'm confident for a reason" Elizabeth shot back and left Darcy where she found him.

"Bennett wait" Darcy came running after her.

"Yes?" Elizabeth replied.

"Liz!" Richard exclaimed coming from the opposite direction.

"What?" Elizabeth answered Richard.

"Jane just called… said I had to make sure you didn't flake on dinner tonight" Richard announced, "Hey Darce, you're coming too right?"

"Wait we're all going to Charlie's?" Elizabeth asked trying to understand Richard's comment.

"Yeah" Richard shrugged, "You don't want to miss it Liz, I swear it'll be the best entertainment you've ever experienced".

"Is there a reason you're glaring at Richard, Darcy?" Elizabeth asked thinking she's missing something.

"Charlie's sister is crazy infatuated with him and pretty much stocks his entire life" Richard answered without missing a beat. "It's even more entertaining that she's married and her husband doesn't give a shit about it… or her".

"You're a mistress?" Elizabeth asked a very angry Darcy "Lucky!"

"Lucky?" Darcy shot back, "You think people committing adultery is bases to earn the title _lucky_"

"She's willing to cheat on her husband for you" Elizabeth countered, "_She's _definitely a whore, but you… you're… "

"A home wrecker?" Richard filled in laughing.

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm not saying this is my opinion but in the mistress handbook… you're tempting enough to break vows made before God, that's an evil honor… I'm jealous".

"I've committed adultery" Richard added, "You never complemented me".

"You have loose morals Richard" Elizabeth brushed off his comment, "Darcy here is a man of principle…"

"I am not a mistress" Darcy threw back.

"See what I mean Richard" Elizabeth raised her hand to gesture at Darcy, "and he didn't give in… principles!"

"Well don't be too quick to praise him" Richard commented, "Caroline is a crazy bitch and there aren't many men who would give into her".

"Ok… that is enough talk about personal matters" Darcy ended the conversation, "we have work to do". Darcy looked to Richard to leave, but he only stood there. "What?"

"Charlie said I can't come if you don't" Richard pouted at Darcy, "Please… I can't miss Liz meeting Caroline".

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth felt insulted, "What does this have to do with me?"

"Caroline is crazy Liz" Richard gushed, "Crazier than your germ phobia".

"Is that even possible?" Elizabeth asked a bit apprehensive about going to the dinner now.

"She flirts and tries to seduce Darce _In front_ of her husband" Richard stated frankly. "She definitely takes the award for crazy as hell".

"I don't think I want to go to this dinner anymore" Elizabeth replied.

"NO!" Richard grabbed the Elizabeth's face between his hands, "Please don't do this to me…"

"Goodness Richard get a grip" Elizabeth forcefully removed his hands from her, "Where the hell have your hands been?" Storming down the hall, Elizabeth left Darcy and Richard to find a bathroom and scrub her face clean of Richard's germs.

"She's gonna go to the dinner right?" Richard asked Darcy as they watched Elizabeth storm off.

Looking at Richard with annoyance, Darcy turned and left him standing in the hall.

* * *

Clocking out, Elizabeth threw on the red ¾ sleeve dress that stopped at the mid of her thigh, the pair of nude sandal strappy heels and let her curls out of the low bun she always pulled them back in during work. Forgoing makeup and just glossing her lips, Elizabeth left the locker room quickly knowing she was already running late. Searching for her ringing phone in her bag she entered the elevator absentmindedly.

"Hello" Darcy greeted her taking in an image all too familiar to him. Elizabeth once again wasn't paying attention when she stepped into the elevator and she was wearing another red dress to torment his thoughts with.

Looking up without finding her ringing phone Elizabeth realized she was in the elevator with Darcy. "Hey" she said quickly before turning back to find the loud ringing object in her bag. Finally locating it she hit the green answer button, "I'm coming" she said into the phone knowing Jane was calling to ask her where she was.

"Sorry" Elizabeth said to Darcy after hanging up the phone, "So you're going to dinner" she gathered taking in Darcy dressed very handsomely in a well tailored back suit and skinny tie.

"Yes" Darcy answered back glad he made the decision to seeing how amazing Elizabeth looked. "You look lovely".

"Thank you" Elizabeth stood watching the floors descend, "You look nice too".

"Thank you" Darcy smiled feeling like Elizabeth was purposely trying to suffocate him with her perfume. The sight of her long smooth legs were working against his restraint and Darcy casually slipped his hands in his pockets to hide the fact that his fingers were twitching to reach out and feel the exposed skin of her thighs.

The remainder of the elevator ride was silent and awkward, Elizabeth could smell Darcy's cologne and it was making her feel a certain kind of way. She needed to get out of the elevator, a man that good looking and smelling was definitely kryptonite.

"I guess I'll see you there" Elizabeth said as they walked out the hospital entrance and towards their separate cars.

"Yeah" Darcy nodded in agreement and reluctantly left Elizabeth to move towards his own car.

After spotting Jane and Charlotte waiting next to hers, Elizabeth buckled her seat belt and followed them to Charlie's place.

The house was gorgeous and Elizabeth felt like coming there was a mistake.

"Please try and keep you're germ phobia to nonexistent tonight" Jane pleaded as they walked the steps towards the house.

"If this turns into a train wreck I'm killing both of you" Elizabeth threatened Jane and Charlotte.

"Don't worry" Charlotte said with easy, "You, me and Rich are going to make sure this thing stays eventful".

"No!" Jane scolded, "No eventfulness… just calm and well behaved dinner please".

"If you wanted that," Elizabeth shot back, "you should have invited anyone but us".

"Welcome" Charlie answered the door, "I'm so glad you all could make it". He helped Jane out of her coat while a house maid came and assisted Elizabeth and Charlotte.

"Oh my god" Charlotte whispered, "Charlie has maids".

"Jane is going to be murdered when we get home" Elizabeth threatened under her breath. The house was something out of better homes magazine and Elizabeth had the sudden urge to make an excuse to leave. Something in her gut was turning and she just couldn't fight the feeling things were going to go wrong.

"My sister and brother in law have been anxious to meet you" Charlie smiled and led the way towards the dining room where everyone was already seated for dinner.

"Char, I have a bad feeling about this" Elizabeth whispered walking down the large hall leading to where ever Charlie was taking them.

"Relax," Charlotte said comfortingly as they walked into the dining room and saw a woman who looked very much like Charlie standing near Darcy.

"Please let me introduce my sister Caroline" Charlie beamed at Jane, "Caroline this is Jane, her sister Elizabeth and their friend Charlotte".

"Pleasure to meet you all" Caroline greeted in a voice that Elizabeth could always decipher as pure hautiness.

Once everyone exchanged greetings Charlotte looked around the room, "Is Richard not joining us?"

"Oh he's helping my husband in the cellar" Caroline answered raising her hand in the air to add dramatics to her comment.

"Hi Darcy" Elizabeth saw him standing irritantly to the side and after what Richard said earlier she could understand why.

"Hello Liz" Darcy answered softly glad to be able to change from hospital professionalism and call Elizabeth informally. "May I get you something to drink?" Darcy offered watching Elizabeth looking a little tense.

"Oh that won't be necessary" Caroline interrupted not liking the way some nobody woman just came in and stole Darcy's attention from her. "A maid can get it" she smiled smugly and motioned one towards them.

If it weren't for Jane, Elizabeth would have called Caroline out on her unwanted intrusion, but Elizabeth said nothing regarding the woman, "Thank you but no, I'm driving tonight".

"Oh" Caroline replied a bit harshly and then turning to instruct the waiter again, "Bring Miss Eliza something… "

"Water is fine" Elizabeth cut in feeling like Caroline was purposely making a big deal out of it to make her seem picky.

"How do you know Will?" Caroline questioned Elizabeth.

"He's my boss" Elizabeth answered taking the water from the waiter.

"So you're a nurse?" Caroline assumed.

"No" Darcy answered for Elizabeth, "She's a 4th year resident".

Smiling appreciatively at Darcy, Elizabeth saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see what it was.

"Finally!" Caroline exclaimed turning to her husband "What took you so long?"

When the man in question walked into the room, Elizabeth quickly placed her glass on the table and left as fast as her legs could carry her.

"What on Earth is her problem?" Caroline turned back appalled at Elizabeth's rude behavior.

"Oh shit" Charlotte muttered finally seeing why Elizabeth stormed out.

"Where's Lizz…" Jane asked walking back into the room, quickly cutting herself off after seeing someone she never thought she'd see again.

"I'll get Liz" Charlotte left her flute of champagne on the table and ran out after Elizabeth.

"What's going on?" Charlie asked in confusion after watching the faces of Charlotte and Jane drop.

"I'm sorry Charlie" Jane was breathing deep and fast, "But I'm afraid we can't stay for dinner".

"What do you mean?" Charlie looked to the other members of the room to see what could have offended Jane, Charlotte and Elizabeth so much that they needed to leave.

"Hello Jane" The man standing near Richard finally spoke.

Fighting herself to remain calm, Jane took a deep breath and addressed him, "George".

"You know my brother in law?"Charlie asked in surprise.

"Yes" Jane answered truthfully knowing whether she stayed or left the truth was going to come out, "He was engaged to Liz…"

"WHAT!" Richard exclaimed staring at Jane like she just spoke gibberish.

"THAT'S ELIZABETH?!" Caroline spat at her husband.

"Excuse me Charlie" Jane said softly, "but I can't stay". Turning and leaving the dining room, Jane went back to the entrance hall to get her coat and find out what happened to her sister.

"Jane wait…" Charlie came rushing after her.

"I'm sorry" Jane grabbed her coat from the maid, "I can't… I'll call you later".

"I didn't know" Charlie said innocently wanting to comfort Jane's distress.

"I know" Jane smiled compassionately at him and kissed him softly on the lips, "I'll call you later".

* * *

Once Jane left, Charlie walked back in to the dining room where Caroline's screams could be heard all over the neighborhood.

"THAT'S THE WOMAN YOU CAN'T STOP CALLING FOR IN YOU'RE SLEEP?" Caroline scram throwing her hands in the air frantically.

"What's going on here?" Charlie pulled out a chair and dropped into it waiting for an answer.

"Apparently, George here is a jackass" Richard answered.

"We've established that" Charlie retorted, "but why this time?"

"I'LL TELL YOU WHY" Caroline took over.

"Stop yelling" Charlie ordered her, "I can't understand you when you yell".

"I'm leaving" Darcy announced wanting to get out of the presence of Caroline.

"No… Will sweetheart" Caroline somehow had an instant mood change and moved to block Darcy's way from leaving.

"Me too" Richard added getting up from his chair and walking out the room. Charlotte told him about what happen to Elizabeth ten years ago and finding out it was George that did it to her was way to shocking for even him to find entertainment in.

"Good night Charlie" Darcy said to his friend and by passed Caroline to leave the house. He was curious about Elizabeth and Wickham's history, but he wasn't going to stay in Charlie's house to find out what happened. After spending the past week working side by side with Elizabeth, Darcy found she was a genuinely beautiful person inside and out. She took her job seriously and outside of work she was loving and caring to the few people she held close. That assessment was what caused him to sit inside his car contemplating what he should do next. His only real option was to go back to his empty home, but there was a knot inside pulling him to find out if Elizabeth was alright.

* * *

Turning over the empty shot glass she just down, Elizabeth tapped it signaling to Wit she wanted another.

"Come on Liz" Wit never saw his favorite customer so down, "That's you're fourth".

Sliding her car keys at him Elizabeth said, "I just saw my ex-fiancé who left me ten years ago without a single word… I have no max tonight".

"Wow that's deep shit" Wit agreed and poured Elizabeth another shot.

"Yes so take pity on me and keep them coming" Elizabeth ordered and drank her shot. Taking out her ringing phone she handed that to Wit too, "Can you tell her the usual?" she asked knowing Jane was calling to find her.

"Hey Jane" Wit spoke into the phone, "I already have her keys and I'll stop her at seven".

"Ten!" Elizabeth stuck her finger in the air feeling really tipsy.

"You're sister's coming" Wit put Elizabeth's phone back inside her clutch sitting on the table, "And you're not even going to make it past six… you're already slurring".

"blahh" Elizabeth frowned and leaned her head on her arms crossed on the bar top. The only time she didn't have a problem with germs was when she was drunk and that was the only reason she could handle hooking up with a stranger.

"Liz?" Jane and Charlotte flanked Elizabeth at the bar.

"I'm not sad, I'm shocked… and drunk" Elizabeth answered her drunkenness easily letting her deal with everything she was felling.

"Let's go home" Jane grabbed her clutch off the bar top and helped her sister off the bar stool.

"Here's her keys" Wit tossed them to Charlotte.

"Wit!" Elizabeth turned around quickly taking her clutch out of Jane's hand, "I forgot to pay you".

"Liz you slammed a $100 bill on the counter when you walked in" Wit said amusingly, "You're tab is covered for the next few weeks".

"Sorry WIt" Jane apologized for her sister, "Thank you".

"He's so nice" Elizabeth whispered as she leaned her head on Jane's shoulder.

"Let's get you home" Charlotte added knowing Elizabeth was going to have a hard morning tomorrow.

In the comfort of their home, Jane and Charlotte went about making sure that Elizabeth was put to bed according to her germaphobic standards.

* * *

Elizabeth woke with a head banging headache to the annoying sound of her phone going off. Reaching her hand out towards her nightstand she absentmindedly started slapping around the surface hoping it would stop the horribly loud noise. Knowing she didn't work today, Elizabeth cursed not turning off the alarm setting, it was impossible for her to fall asleep now hang over or not. Dragging herself out of bed. She stripped down and threw whatever she was wearing in the hamper, then slipping on her robe she walked slowly out her room towards the hall bathroom to shower. Elizabeth knew waking up with yesterdays hair meant she didn't shower before being put into bed and that meant she had to strip her bed and wash her sheets. Taking care of her bed issue, she walked into the kitchen and made herself a big cup of coffee. When the effects of her aspirin and coffee began to work, Elizabeth went about dealing with last night's emotional problem by pouring herself into making something high calorie and comforting.

"Morning Liz" Jane smiled compassionately at her sister and sat on a stool.

"Hey" Elizabeth smiled, "I made chicken alfredo".

"For breakfast?" Jane answered without even thinking first, "I mean… yum, I'm starving".

"I have mac and cheese in the oven and for lunch I'm making grilled cheese and tomato soup" Elizabeth fixed Jane a plate of alfredo and handed her a fork. "And for dinner…"

"Liz there're only three of us living here" Jane said softly not wanting to offend her sister, "I think maybe the Alfredo and mac and cheese are enough for today".

"You're right" Elizabeth agreed, "But tomorrow we'll have fried chicken and waffles and gravy…"

"Ok no!" Jane knew exactly what Elizabeth was doing and she wasn't going to let her sister slip into this phase again, "Elizabeth you're not doing this again, you're not going to bypass your feelings by cooking and drowning yourself in cleaning".

"I'm not" Elizabeth answered. Hearing the door bell ring she walked around the counter, "I'll get that, you eat".

Instead of listening to Elizabeth, Jane followed her out of the kitchen and watched her open the door.

"Richard!" Elizabeth looked behind Richard, "Darcy!"

"Charlotte said you might need some help… uh, eating" Richard shrugged not really understanding what Charlotte's 911 text meant.

"As long as it's just the two of you" Jane came up behind Elizabeth to look and make sure no one else was with them. "Come in".

"About last night…" Elizabeth said as they all washed their hands and took seats at the kitchen island to eat. She could feel Darcy's eyes on her and she wondered just how much he knew about her past with Wickham.

"Liz…" Richard cut her off, "We get it you're fine" he muttered in a mimicking tone.

"I wasn't going to say that you asshole" Elizabeth shot back glad Richard was being his true self. "I was going to say I'm sorry for storming out".

"This is so good" Richard commented putting a fork full of alfredo in his mouth.

"Liz is a comfort eater" Jane pushed her plate away not really craving something so heavy this early in the morning.

"Where does it all go?" Richard asked, "You're like a damn twig".

"Eat the mac and cheese and shut up" Elizabeth threw back, Richard was good company regardless if they spent the entire time insulting each other.

"I have to go" Jane announced remembering her plans to get coffee with Charlie, "Can I trust her in your care?" she looked expectantly at Richard.

"Of course" Richard muttered with a mouth full of food.

"Change of thought" Jane shook her head unconvinced, "Darcy would you mind making sure these two don't do something crazy?"

"Uh… sure" Darcy shrugged his shoulders in agreement knowing there wasn't much he could do to stop whatever idea popped in Richard's head and he assumed the same could be said for Elizabeth.

"Ok no, see now I have to spell it out to make sure you all know I'm serious" Jane said demanding their attention, "anything remotely close to Elizabeth confronting George is absolutely NOT allowed".

"I wouldn't talk to him any way" Elizabeth countered, "go to your boyfriend, all we're going to do is cook and eat".

Once Jane finally left, Elizabeth pulled out the cornbread she had baking in the oven.

"Oh my…" Richard exclaimed, "This is what heaven must be like".

"Richard you have to finish all this food" Elizabeth ordered, "or Jane won't let me make anymore".

"I can do that" Richard agreed, "as long as you start talking about what happened with George".

"That's a shitty trade" Elizabeth pulled the plate of food away from Richard.

"Don't need the bed room details" Richard pulled his plate back, "basics will do just fine".

"High school sweethearts, he proposed, joined the army" Elizabeth gave the quickest recap she could think of, "never came back and this is the first time I've seen him for ten years".

"How did you know he didn't die?" Darcy asked.

"I checked" Elizabeth busied herself by wiping vigorously at the counter top even though it was spotless.

"That's the sorriest plot summary I've ever heard" Richard paused eating to stop himself from getting hiccups.

"True story" Elizabeth took a can of coke and wiped the top before opening it and pouring it in a glass for Richard. "Something to drink Darcy?"

"Water is fine" Darcy didn't know what to think about Elizabeth's confession. He initially didn't like George, but this made want to hate him.

"I'm trying this new thing today where I'm fighting myself not to scrub this house from top to bottom" Elizabeth admitted handling Darcy a glass of water, "Want to keep me distracted?"

"What'd you have in mind?" Richard was very intrigued at the prospect of Elizabeth wanting to fight her phobia.

"See that's just it…" Elizabeth answered, "If I stay in the house I'm gonna fail".

"Let's go to my house" Darcy suggested without hesitation.

"No, that's a horrible idea" Richard shook his head, "he doesn't even have furniture".

"Let's get me some then" Darcy took his plate and put it in the sink ready to wash it just so he could get a reaction from Elizabeth.

"Woah, what are you doing?" Elizabeth jumped off her stool.

"Let me wash it" Darcy challenged holding the dish sponge away from her. He was starting to figure out that Elizabeth used her germ phobic behavior as a clutch, possibly to keep her from letting anyone in.

"No you're a guest… I'll wash it" Elizabeth bent over the sink to get the sponge, but Darcy was too quick.

"I'm going to wash it and you're going to watch me wash it" Darcy said blocking the sink with his body and boxing Elizabeth out.

"Wash mine too" Richard stood and deposited his dirty dishes in the sink. He knew exactly what Darcy was doing and he wasn't going to pass up a free chance to have Darcy wash his dish.

"Liz you know what's at my house?" Darcy said smugly starting the water and scrubbing the dishes.

"What?" Elizabeth answered harshly annoyed that Darcy was so much bigger than her or else she would have tackled him.

"The ocean and sand" Darcy smiled knowing exactly how Elizabeth would react.

"Yuck" Elizabeth swallowed like there was something nasty in her mouth, "No… no hell no we're not going to your house".

"Yes we are" Darcy finished washing the dishes and wiped his hands on a paper towel, "I don't have any furniture and I haven't had it cleaned since moving in".

"Oh my god no!" Elizabeth moved away from Darcy feeling the hairs on her arm stand up and pure utter disgust creeping up her neck. "I'm gonna die from being grossed out".

Wanting to join in the fun, Richard looked at Elizabeth, "Liz, is it okay if we pack some of this food?" he asked stabbing his finger in the middle of the corn bread.

"Richard NO!" Elizabeth shrieked backing up against the kitchen wall, Darcy and Richard were trying to creep her out and it was working. Feeling like the room was getting smaller and breathing was becoming difficult Elizabeth left down the hall kicking of her shoes and running into her room shutting the door firmly behind her.

"I think we went too far" Darcy said not expecting that Elizabeth would have a panic attack.

"Agreed" Richard sighed looking at the door Elizabeth just ran out of."We better fix this before Jane comes back and kills us". Richard walked down the hall and knocked lightly on Elizabeth's door.

"I think she's more pissed off about the germs than she was about George" Darcy whispered seeing Elizabeth's shoes outside her door. Shaking his head at how difficult it was to understand Elizabeth he sat on the bench just outside her door and removed his shoes.

"Liz we're coming in" Darcy said softly knowing he and Richard had upset her.

"No! don't you dare" Elizabeth shot back not wanting them to come into her room and ruin her bacteria free environment.

"I'm opening the door" Darcy called out as he turned the knob.

"I'm serious don't come in my room" Elizabeth yelled walking towards the door to lock it but she was too late. "NO STOP!" she held her hands in front of her to keep them from coming in.

When Darcy opened the door what he saw made him halt moving forward. The room was possibly the cleanest most organized room he'd ever seen in his life. Aside from the hardwood floors and light blue walls, everything else inside the room was white. He clearly underestimated Elizabeth's germ phobia.

"DON'T COME IN HERE!" Elizabeth put her hand on the door to push it close, "THIS IS MY PERSONAL SPACE AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIRTY IT WITH YOU'RE GERMS".

"Ok" Darcy agreed needing to rethink his approach to wanting to help Elizabeth. It was quite obvious the immersing method was not the one for her. "Just come back outside, we're sorry and we'll stop pushing you".

Breathing heavily from her yelling and discomfort Elizabeth agreed and put back on her house shoes outside the door. "You two are idiots; I could have fainted".

"That's a bit dramatic" Richard shot back.

"No dramatic would be me shoving that corn bread down your throat" Elizabeth challenged, "both of you get out of my house".

"We're sorry" Richard knew Elizabeth wasn't serious about kicking them out.

"Really, I'm sorry" Darcy took a seat on the sofa and stared at Elizabeth, "I just thought maybe we could help you".

"I can't be done" Elizabeth took the corn bread still sitting in the casserole dish and moved to cut out the piece Richard poked.

"Stop… I'm gonna eat that" Richard push Elizabeth gently away from the corn bread and took the casserole dish hostage. "Darce needs furniture and you're addicted to cleaning… let's kill two birds with one stone".

"Did you not hear him say the ocean and sand is at his house?" Elizabeth took out Tupperware to put the food away so she could wash the pans.

"Then we won't go outside" Darcy offered realizing baby steps was what Elizabeth needed.

"Can I clean your house?" Elizabeth walked to the sink and put on her dish gloves to scrub the dirty pans.

"No" Darcy was not going to let Elizabeth do that whether she had a compulsive disorder or not.

"Please…" Elizabeth turned from the sink with begging eyes, "It'll help me deal with my George issues and I'm happy when I clean".

"Just let her clean the damn house" Richard put all the Tupperware of food inside the insulated picnic bag.

"Richard don't let that touch the floor" Elizabeth looked sternly at him holding the picnic bag.

"Are you saying your floors are dirty?" Richard shot back knowing it would piss Elizabeth off.

"Watch your mouth" Elizabeth threatened, "My floors are clean enough to eat off of". Turning to Darcy, Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest, "Am I cleaning your house or not?"

"Not!" Darcy answered back.

"Then enjoy the food cause I'm staying here" Elizabeth moved to leave the kitchen.

Blocking her way out, Darcy offered, "Just the living room, if… you talk about George".

"There's nothing to tell aside from what I've already said" Elizabeth was bending under the kitchen sink to gather all her cleaning supplies.

"Were you a germ phobic before he joined the military?" Darcy took the tub of cleaning supplies out of Elizabeth's hand and followed her out the kitchen.

"No" Elizabeth grabbed her steam mop, broom and dust pan and handed it all to Darcy.

"So this is displacement?" Darcy analyzed Elizabeth's compulsive tendencies trying to figure out how he could help her.

"No, this is me not liking dirty shit in my life" Elizabeth answered returning from her room with a bag filled with a change of clothes and her house shoes replaced with a pair of converse. "Why isn't your house furnished? Don't you have stuff to put in it?" Elizabeth asked once they were on the road heading towards Darcy's house.

"Darcy owns Pemberley of New York" Richard answered from the back seat.

Turning abruptly towards Darcy, Elizabeth was shocked, "But you're a surgeon?"

"My mother was a surgeon before marrying my father" Darcy said hesitantly.

"So you left the big city for New Jersey because?" Elizabeth question not understanding how a hotel heir would find himself in this life.

"Chief Walker made me a really good offer" Darcy tensed not knowing how Elizabeth would react to the news that he came from money. He knew enough about her to know she wasn't a fortune hunting gold digger, but that didn't mean she wouldn't change now that she knew the truth about him.

"He offered you chief, didn't he?" Elizabeth realized there was only one reason anyone would leave private practice in the big apple. Receiving nothing but silence from Darcy, Elizabeth had her answer. She took in the beautiful seaside passing by. It was a gorgeous view, but the contents of the water and sand scared her to death and it was an experience she was willing to give up to maintain whatever sanity she had left. When they pulled into the driveway of a very modern beach house, Elizabeth wasn't too surprised. After seeing Charlie's house yesterday and having been to Richard's penthouse a few times, it only made sense that Darcy's place would be just as showy and grand.

"Can you believe he lives here alone?" Richard came up behind Elizabeth who stood staring at the house.

"I can" Elizabeth grabbed her bag from the trunk and followed Darcy and Richard into the house. Richard wasn't lying when he said it wasn't furnished. There was nothing inside except for a stack of mail sitting on the side entrance table. "Are you sure you can even claim you live here?" Elizabeth looked around the large empty space thinking it was far too beautiful to be left unfurnished.

"I've only been in New Jersey for three weeks" Darcy answered putting Elizabeth's cleaning supplies on the kitchen counter.

"And how do you plan on getting furniture today?" Elizabeth left her canvas messenger hanging across her body not wanting to set it down anywhere. "Oh my goodness…." Elizabeth moved to walk out of the Kitchen but the sight of dust on the hardwood floor was too disturbing. "I can sign my name in that dust" she moved backwards not paying attention to anyone and walking right into Darcy's chest. "Eww" she jumped away from him quickly, "No furniture!" she ordered "It'll only be infected by this dust and whatever else is growing in this place".

Chuckling from the corner, Richard shook his head at how perfect Elizabeth and Darcy were for each other, "Liz, you're insane".

"Here take this and put it back in the car" Elizabeth removed her messenger bag from her body and handed it to Darcy.

"My bedroom is clean" Darcy countered, "I'll leave it there… and we made a deal, living room only and you start talking".

"I'll tell you whatever you want about anything you want" Elizabeth raised her now gloved hands in front of her, "Just let me clean your house".

"Deal" Darcy agreed feeling like he was getting the better end of the bargain.

"You and Richard go and put yourselves somewhere" Elizabeth ordered putting on a mask and taking her bucket of cleaning supplies into the large open space looking out over the beach. "That is some view" she sighed knowing that was the closes she was going to get to the ocean.

"Let me help you" Darcy walked behind her.

"I guess…it's your house" Elizabeth put the bucket down wiping the window seals and grooves to remove the dust before trying to conquer the floor. "Just don't feather dust it, it'll get in the air and then I'm seriously going to run out of here". Handing Darcy the dusting spray and cloth figuring she should start her end of the deal, "George was my neighbor since forever and we did everything together". Elizabeth was across the room from Darcy with her back turned to him, but she could feel he stopped dusting to listen to her. "He was great; obviously gorgeous, kind and caring" finishing her dusting, Elizabeth took the swifer mop and started gathering the fallen dust, "It wasn't a surprise to anyone when he asked me out Sophomore year of high school… it was kinda one of those stupid kid best friends turned lifetime lovers story… except ours doesn't have that happy ending".

"I'm going to take a nap" Richard walked into the room and found Elizabeth and Darcy cleaning, "I'm way too stuffed". Richard wanted to give Elizabeth and Darcy time alone, he already knew Darcy was interested in Elizabeth, he just didn't know where Elizabeth stood on the matter.

"I loved him then" Elizabeth said once Richard left the room, "but seeing him last night, I definitely don't love him now".

"How do you know?" Darcy asked watching Elizabeth to see if she tried to side step his question.

"Easy" Elizabeth smiled, "I didn't have the urge to run him over with a car".

"And that's an indicator because?" Darcy asked confused at Elizabeth's reasoning.

"Because when you love someone and they hurt you" Elizabeth started pushing the swifer mop again, "You want to hate them to get past that hurt… I don't hate George and I don't want to set him on fire and push him down a flight of stairs".

"So… you leaving last night was?" Darcy took the swifer mop from Elizabeth and handed her the steam mop to start mopping her side of the room.

"Shock.." Elizabeth answered, "who wouldn't be seeing someone who disappeared from their life for ten years?"

"When you say he didn't come back…" Darcy asked not really understanding how anyone could leave and not come back to their fiancé.

"I waited at the airport at the time he told me he would be returning from deployment" Elizabeth bent down to plug in her mop, "he wasn't on the plane".

"What did you do?" Darcy wasn't cleaning anymore as he watched Elizabeth's facial expressions for any discomfort.

"Only thing I could…" Elizabeth answered, "I went to his recruiter to confirm George was supposed to be coming back from Iraq…". Elizabeth paused and looked at Darcy, "he told me George wasn't deployed, he was stationed in Washington and has been there the entire time". Seeing Darcy's face drop, Elizabeth smiled, "Wish you'd stuck to the quick summary huh?"

"I'm…" Darcy was speechless, that was another form a deceit; lying to your fiancé about being deployed and leaving her without a single word.

"In the way" Elizabeth pushed him slightly so she could move the steam mop on the hardwood on his side of the room. "Like I said, last night was shock… I don't feel anything here" Elizabeth pointed to her heart.

"I met George at Caroline and his wedding about nine years ago" Darcy felt like Elizabeth needed to know all he knew about George.

"They've been married for nine years?" Elizabeth stopped mopping and searched Darcy's face.

"Shotgun wedding, Charlie and Caroline's father is a four star Army general" Darcy replied, "He's as right as they come…"

"So they have a kid?" Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No" Darcy whispered feeling sorry he was the one telling Elizabeth the news, "Caroline didn't want it, but her father wasn't accepting to the idea that one of his soldiers was fooling around with his daughter".

"So he forced them to get married?" Elizabeth unplugged the cord to her steam mop to keep herself busy. It was a lot to take in and the last thing she wanted to feel was over whelmed. Those of feelings end up pushing her to sitting on a stool at Wit's bar.

"He's old school and you really can't argue with the Army General" Darcy followed Elizabeth down the hall as she plugged her mop back in and began mopping the hall.

"That's actually really sad" Elizabeth was honest. She knew who George used to be and he was a good person, that wasn't the George she loved. "Let's do the kitchen" she suggested to keep her hands moving and mind occupied.

It took her and Darcy another hour to completely disinfect all the cabinets and stainless appliances. Finally done steam mopping the floor, Elizabeth stood back and stared out the large kitchen windows looking out over the ocean. "I wish I knew what that feels like" she commented watching a surfer ride a wave.

"It's actually something close to the feeling of being in the OR" Darcy stood behind Elizabeth watching the surfer.

"Nothing is like the OR" Elizabeth smiled and turned to Darcy, "Can I take shower? I feel like there's dust and grime all over me".

"Of course" Darcy lead her up the stairs to his bedroom, "This and the study are the only two rooms I use".

"So where is Richard sleeping?" Elizabeth asked seeing the bed was empty. Darcy's room was pretty straight forward, a king bed, a dresser, and a gorgeous view of the beach.

"Pull out couch in the study" Darcy walked into his closet, "I hung you're bag… wasn't sure you thought me leaving it on the end chair was going to be sanitary enough".

Following him into his closet, Elizabeth laughed, "Thank you… I'm really not crazy" she grabbed her bag off the hook, "I just like knowing things are clean and organized, life is easier that way".

"I understand" Darcy looked compassionately at Elizabeth; she really was harboring a lot more inside than she wanted to admit. "I'll order a pizza, I'm sure Richard devoured most of the food before he went to sleep".

Nodding her head in agreement Elizabeth went into Darcy's bathroom and shut the door. She was glad Darcy didn't mention anything about the sponge, pinesol and Clorox wipes she causally left by the door when they walked in. Once she was sure Darcy left the room, Elizabeth snuck back out of the bathroom to get the cleaning supplies to scrub the bathroom.

It was a little over an hour later that Elizabeth heard knocking on the bathroom door, "Liz open the door, I know you're scrubbing the shower" Darcy's voice came from the other side.

"No I'm not" Elizabeth answered truthfully, she already scrubbed the shower and Jacuzzi tub. She just finished cleaning the toilet and was now wiping the sink.

"It doesn't take over an hour to take a shower" Darcy already tried opening the door and it was locked, "open the door".

Throwing the Clorox wipe in her hand in the trash and putting her supplies under the sink, Elizabeth walked to the bathroom door and unlocked it. "I couldn't figure out how to use the shower" she lied trying her hardest not to laugh in Darcy's face as he looked ready to cuss her out.

"Stop lying" Darcy walked past her smelling the fresh scent of pinesol, "You're a lost cause". Opening the glass door of the shower, Darcy turned on the water and with very quick hands grabbed Elizabeth around the waist and carried her into the shower fully clothed.

Squealing the entire time Elizabeth laughed and tried to get Darcy to let her go "Stop, I'm gonna have to clean everything again because you're shoes are dirty…" Elizabeth was giggling like a child and Darcy only held her under the shower water laughing at her struggling.

"You said take a shower…" Darcy pushed Elizabeth further under the shower head, "not can I _scrub _ your shower"

Wiping the water out of her eyes, Elizabeth grabbed the hand sprinkler and shot it over her shoulder since Darcy still had her held under the shower head. "You're not helping me cope!"

"Cope with what?" Darcy tried to wrestle the hose out of Elizabeth's hand.

"Being sad…" Elizabeth moved away from Darcy glad his shower was huge enough that she could get away from the showerhead.

"You're not sad…" Darcy shot back laughing and turning another knob against the wall starting the side jets of the shower. "You're crazy" he could barely stand up straight seeing Elizabeth jump at the jet shooting against her back.

"What the hell!" Elizabeth exclaimed, "Why are those in here?".

"It's relaxing" Darcy answered turning off the jet and finally making sense of their current predicament.

"Great!" Elizabeth wiped the water dripping down her face, "now we have a bigger mess"

"And you're not going to clean it" Darcy grabbed Elizabeth's arm to push her out of the shower.

Stopping abruptly at the door of the shower Elizabeth gripped the door frame, "I just wiped those tiles on my hands and knees… "

"Keep going" Darcy pushed gently on her back, "Unless you want Richard to come in here and find out we just took a shower together" he challenged not against the idea at all.

"We didn't shower together" Elizabeth threw over her shoulder getting out of the shower and walking slowly so she wouldn't slip, "I can't believe you just did that". Once she reached the sink counter, she jumped to sit on top of it to remove her now soaked converse.

Everything on was clinging to Elizabeth and Darcy didn't know what took over him, but he moved between Elizabeth's legs and in an instant his lips were against hers. He only touched her lips when he felt Elizabeth push him away.

"We can't…" Elizabeth whispered grabbing her lips that were tingling from feeling Darcy's against them.

"I'm sorry…" Darcy step away from the counter watching the shock flood over Elizabeth. "I know… I'm sorry".

"I… uh need to change" Elizabeth was looking at the floor tiles trying to remain calm.

"Right…" Darcy moved towards the door and shut it behind him, kicking himself for ruining whatever progress he made with Elizabeth this past week.

Once the door was closed, Elizabeth dropped her head in her hands letting her heart pound viciously against her chest. As tempting as it was to let whatever between her and Darcy happen, Elizabeth had two constants in her life; Jane and her job. Jumping off the counter, she dressed and put her wet hair up into a messy bun. Her pulse was racing not knowing what to expect when she opened the door.

"It's about time you came out!" Richard stood from the side of the bed he was sitting on. "Darcy had a sudden urge to go for a run on the beach… asked me if I could take you home".

"Yeah" Elizabeth answered in relief. She wasn't anywhere emotionally prepared to talk things out with Darcy, it'll probably end in her throwing herself at him. "I'm ready".

"Everything alright?" Richard asked feeling like he was missing something.

"Yup" Elizabeth walked right past him and out the door, "entire 1st floor is clean and I need to get some sleep before shift tomorrow".

"I was wondering…" Richard shut the door to the house when he and Elizaebth walked out, "how much is your pool up to right now?"

"Last I check" Elizabeth settled into the passenger seat of Richard's very over the top Maserati, "some resident took 2k against me bringing in a $4.5 million donor". Doing the math in her head Elizabeth answered, "That plus the bet for me out raising Darcy brings in about 4k".

"Who the hell is dumb enough to take that bet?" Richard exclaimed, "I heard yesterday that Andrew Brent the mayor's son is looking to donate $6 million at the Gala".

"I'm banking on that" Elizabeth knew Andrew very well and he was the reason she was so confident in her bets.

Feeling his heart nearly lunge out of his cheat, Richard turned to Elizabeth, "Did you sleep with him?"

"Depends on your definition of sleep" Elizabeth sighed not really proud to admit she had a wild night with the major's son.

"You little slut" Richard laughed, he knew Elizabeth was a bar chick but hearing her basically admit to being not so much the clean little germ freak she claimed to be was amusing.

"Just because I don't exploit my sexual life" Elizabeth replied, "Doesn't mean I lack one".

"All those times I teased you about being a nun with a dirty mouth…" Richard joked.

"Look, " Elizabeth did not want to have this conversation right now considering what just happened with Darcy, "I don't sleep around…"

"Would you sleep with Darcy?" Richard asked completely fascinated.

"NO!" Elizabeth answered without hesitation, "I've never slept with anyone at the hospital and I never will".

"Hypothetically… _would_ you?" Richard pushed the subject.

"Definitely" Elizabeth sighed knowing there was no use denying what Richard already suspected.

"I knew it" Richard gloated.

"But I'm not" Elizabeth clarified needing to hear herself say it to make it clearer for her to except "not ever".

"Sounds like I'm not the one who needs convincing…" Richard smiled smugly at Elizabeth.

"Thanks for the ride" Elizabeth grabbed her bag at her feet and left the car before Richard had a chance to push the issue any further.


End file.
